I may be an anti-war grandma, but The Art of War is a classic. So, I figured I should read it. Not because we were at war, which we weren’t when I bought it a year ago, but because I was curious. I wondered why this little Chinese book that was written before the birth of Christ was still so widely read? And how could a 2500-year-old book of military advice still be relevant?
Well, I was impressed. The Art of War was written in thirteen chapters and is based on wars and military strategy stretching back into the mists of time. It may be a small book, but it’s amazing how much wisdom it contains.
Take for example, Chapter One: “Laying Plans.” It begins with the “five constant factors” that need to be considered before starting a war: The Moral Law, Heaven, Earth, The Commander, Method & Discipline.
Heaven and Earth are basic things like day or night, seasons, distances and geography (the Hormuz Strait, for example).
I was particularly interested in the first factor: The Moral Law. I’m familiar with Saint Augustine’s “Rules for a just war.” What, then, did the Chinese in Sun Tzu’s time consider “The Moral Law” of warfare? According to him, a war would be moral only if the people were “in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.” (That sounds like a good description of the Ukrainian people. The American people and their allies, not so much.)
“The Commander” is the fourth factor. He stands for “the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage, and strictness.” Hmm.
The fifth factor “Method and Discipline” includes many points. This one is interesting: “All warfare is based on deception.”
Here’s how Chapter One ends: “The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand.”
The other twelve chapters are also fascinating, and useful, I suppose, to military leaders and also for chess players. Even for an anti-war grandma, it was well worth reading.
But like the Miss America candidate who isn’t afraid of being a cliché, this anti-war grandma would like to choose WORLD PEACE.
All we are saying . . . is give peace a chance. 😀
You remember that time too.
Well said!
Thanks, Judith.
I can think of potential readership who would never glance at it
That’s our current problem.
Hegseth currently not making ANY calculations beforehand.
I don’t think he’s in the habit of thinking about consequences.
I would have said, “not in the habit of thinking.”
Maybe that too.
Can you imagine having a leader with the wisdom and insight to study the works of masters?
Or at least a leader who has the humility to listen to advisors who have studied the masters.
Amen for choosing peace!
The ending for chapter one speaks volumes these days as does the moral law.
There is another interesting point in Chapter Two. Sun Tzu says “There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.”
Some things never change yet people don’t learn from history. This is a great post! (From another old time anti-war person!)
I was a big fan of Joan Baez anti-war songs.