Posted on 05/04/2002 10:10:07 PM PDT by PsyOp
AMBASSADORS
When the enemy's envoy's speak in humble terms, but continues his preparations, he will advance. When their language is deceptive but the enemy pretentiously advances, he will retreat. When the envoys speak in apologetic terms, he wishes a respite. When without a previous understanding the enemy asks for a truce, he is plotting. When the enemy sees an advantage but does not advance to seize it, he is fatigued. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c. 400-320 b.c.
One who sets the entire army in motion to chase an advantage will not attain it. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
To capture an enemies army is better than to destroy it. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
All warfare is based on deception. Therefore, when capable, feign incapacity; when active, inactivity. When near, make it appear that you are far away; When far away that you are near. Offer the enemy a bait to lure him; feign disorder and strike him. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
It is a doctrine of war not to assume the enemy will not come, but rather to rely on one's readiness to meet him; not to presume that he will not attack, but rather to make one's self invincible. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Do not press an enemy at bay. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c.400-320 b.c.
To fight and conquer in all our battles is not the supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistence without fighting. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c.400-320 b.c.
He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
If not in the interests of the state, do not act. If you cannot succeed, do not use troops. If you are not in danger, do not fight. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
He whose generals are able and not interfered with by the sovereign will be victorious. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c.400-320 b.c.
It is the business of a general to be serene and inscrutable, impartial and self-controlled. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c.400-320 b.c.
The General who in advancing does not seek personal fame, and in withdrawing is not concerned with avoiding punishment, but whose only purpose is to protect the people and promote the best interests of his sovereign, is the precious jewel of the state. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c.400-320 b.c.
Know the enemy, know yourself; your victory will never be endangered. Know the ground, know the weather; your victory will then be total. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c.400-320 b.c.
When orders are consistently trustworthy and observed, the relationship of a commander with his troops is satisfactory. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c.400-320 b.c.
The general must be the first in the toils and fatigues of the army. In the heat of summer he does not spread his parasol nor in the cold of winter don thick clothing. In dangerous places he must dismount and walk. He waits until the army's wells have been dug and only then drinks; until the army's food is cooked before he eats; until the army's fortifications have been completed, to shelter himself. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c.400-320 b.c.
A skilled commander seeks victory from the situation and does not demand it of his subordinates. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c.400-320 b.c.
Nothing is more difficult than the art of maneuver. What is difficult about maneuver is to make the devious route the most direct and to turn misfortune to advantage. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
In war, numbers alone confer no advantage. Do not advance relying on sheer military power. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 B.C.
One who has few must prepare against the enemy; one who has many makes the enemy prepare against him. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Agitate him and ascertain the pattern of his movement. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness; travel by unexpected routes and strike him where he has taken no precaution. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Should one ask: 'how do I cope with a well-ordered enemy host about to attack me?' I reply: seize something he cherishes and he will conform to your desires. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Subtle and insubstantial, the expert leaves no trace; divinely mysterious, he is inaudible. Thus he is the master of his enemy's fate. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
To a surrounded enemy you must leave a way of escape. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
When campaigning, be swift as the wind; in leisurely march, majestic as the forest; in raiding and plundering, like fire; in standing, firm as the mountains. As unfathomable as the clouds, move like a thunderbolt. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Birds rising in flight is a sign that the enemy is lying in ambush; when the wild animals are startled and flee he is trying to take you unaware. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Attack where he is unprepared; sally forth when he does not expect you. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
When I have won a victory I do not repeat my tactics but respond to circumstances in an infinite variety of ways. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c.400-320 b.c.
As water shapes its flow in accordance with the ground, so an army manages its victory in accordance with the situation of the enemy. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Victory is the main object in war. If this is long delayed, weapons are blunted and morale depressed. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
He whose ranks are united in purpose will be victorious. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Invincibility depends on one's self; the enemy's vulnerability on him. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
War is a matter of vital importance to the state; the province of life or death; the road to survival or ruin. It is mandatory that it be thoroughly studied. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Generally in war the best policy is to take a state intact; to ruin it is inferior to this. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefitted. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
The supreme excellence is not to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles. The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without having to fight them. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War. c.400-320 b.c.
Yes, and you can sum up all of Sun Tzu as: "Never pick a fair fight."
http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/taoism/suntext.htm
The rifle squad of the Marine Corps is the result of many years of development and combat experience...
The purpose of offensive combat is to destroy the enemy and his will to fight. Offensive action is the only means by which a decision is gained in combat. It requires superiority over the enemy, but superiority in numbers or fire alone is not necessarily the deciding factor. In the final analysis, superiority is achieved by a combination of higher morale, greater aggressiveness, a higher quality of leadership, better training and better equipment.
Guidebook for Marines
Squad Tactics, pg 167
Eleventh Edition, July 1, 1967
That works.
So do I. Pretty much says it all about psyops and psyoperators. Thanks.
Yep. Glory and patriotism will only take an army so far. Even in modern times. We ought to forward that quote to Congress.
It never does. Those recessive genes will do you in every time.
I have to admit you stumped me there. I'm not familiar with the name.
Only the greatest movie of all time - not to mention the greatest movie theme music of all time!
There's only one proper definition of a fair fight - the kind you win. Especially when losing means dying.
Sounds like a pretty good summary of Sun Tzu and a few others to me. You really think that everything in the marine guidebook was first time those ideas appeared in print? that guidebook and those used by the other armed services are but the distillation of 2,000 + years of military thought and practical application.
I geuss I'll toss out my library now that I know every worth knowing is in the Marine Guide Book. ;-]
That's probably a safe bet. And perhaps a copy of Vom Krieg by Clausewitz.
Timeliness
Do unto others as they would do unto you, but do it first.
It is far better to do something lethal to the enemy right now than to spend two days preparing the "perfect" battle plan.
The most useless quantity on the battlefied: five second ago.
Battlefield Chaos
No battle plan ever survives contact with the young lieutenant trying to execute it.
No brigade battle plan ever survives contact with division heardquarters, unless it is comes with a really spiffy set of PowerPoint slides, whereupon the Division G-3 puts his name on the slides and sends it to Corps.
Information
I don't care what the Politburo in Beijing is discussing, I want to know what's on the other side of this hill.
Getting your story out the way you want it to go out is important. Remember this when the presstitute is getting on your nerves. Slitting his throat is only a momentary pleasure, and it's bound to get you talked about in less-than-flattering terms.
Victory
Sometimes, victory in war is neat and clear-cut. If any such victory comes your way, please FReepmail me, as it would be the first since the Japanese signed their names on the Missouri's main deck.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.