The Art of War

Also referred to as the commander or the leader, the general controls the army, makes strategic and many tactical decisions before and during battle, inspires the troops with wisdom and spirit, keeps them disciplined and unified in purpose, and teaches the officers techniques of tactical adaptation to changing conditions in the field. The general’s main goals are to study and prepare carefully for the coming battle, make the army impregnable and its moves difficult for the opponent to decipher, and strike at the enemy’s weakest points. Generals must also monitor their own mental state and ward off impatience, pridefulness, cowardice, fear, and worry. In a crisis, they must be willing to disregard bad advice from the ruler. 

Also called the ruler or the sovereign, the king who means to wage war successfully must be a wise leader who inspires his citizens “to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives” (1.5-6). The king decides the army’s purpose, be it invasion or defense, but a wise ruler also gets out of the way of his generals and lets them make the battlefield decisions. 

Soldiers must be assembled, trained carefully, and well supplied. They then must be inspired by a wise commander into admiration and respect, so that they will go into battle with a daring spirit and accept any punishments with equanimity. Soldiers are of many types, and the able general will use them appropriately, sending smart men into complex situations, courageous men into difficult battles, and greedy ones to take valuable property from the enemy. If the general becomes overly solicitous of the soldiers, they may become spoiled and hard to control; therefore, the general is generous with them but not to excess.