As an aside, the planning outline created by Sun Tzu is still in use today by all modern armies (in the US as the Operations Order (The D-Day order was some five feet thick)), with the original five paragraph order almost unchanged.
The Situation of Friendly and Enemy Forces.
The Mission.
The Execution of the Mission.
The Supply, Support and Transport.
The Command Structure and Signals/Communications.
Though the Russians added an additional paragraph that is quite reasonable, and referenced by Sun Tzu elsewhere. It is concealment, obfuscation (such as smoke) and deception.
The philosophical descendent of Sun Tzu, Sun Bin (or Pin), wrote his own Art of War, thought lost, but was rediscovered in 1972.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Pin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Bin’s_Art_of_War
For the most part European tactical warfare developed far more based on technology, until Napoleon’s strategies and tactics of modern warfare were described and elaborated on by Clausewitz, in his still remarkably readable and sensible “On War”.
Sixty years later, Alfred Thayer Mahan did the equivalent for naval warfare with his The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660–1783 (1890).
Finally, the great compilation by the father and son team of R. Ernest Dupuy and Trevor N. Dupuy, who produced The Encyclopedia Of Military History, which is an exhaustive and brilliant examination of military conflict all the way from the ancient world. An essential reference.
THANKS for the references.
Good to hear from someone with a TRUE knowledge of history.
What part of the country do you live in?
I live in Central Arizona (Cottonwood)
Putting your name on my list so you will be hearing from me from time to time.
ANOTHER good (GREAT) Book to read is “Patriot”. Might get some good ideas on defense tactics and survival ideas that may be handy.
Bill (aka - jongaltsr)