Cover 2024 Penguin paperback edition

(1) SUN TZU –

THE ART OF WAR

“To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.”

 Wait – what? How does Sun Tzu’s The Art of War score top spot in my Top 10 History Books? It isn’t even a history book! Or is it?

Well, I’d obviously argue it is, at a number of levels – as its content of historical examples from ancient China at a literal level of history, as a historical artefact, as a philosophical artefact of Taoism, as the history of its adaptation and use for strategy, and most fundamentally for my top spot, as the lens by which I view history.

So firstly, its literal level of history – its content of specific historical examples to illustrate its strategic principles, albeit examples which are now obscure to all but specialist knowledge of ancient China. I mean, we’re talking ancient China before even the definitive Qin or Han dynasties, from which China and its dominant ethnicity derive their name. I had originally thought that its history was from the Warring States period but apparently the book itself was written in the preceding Spring and Autumn period of equally warring states.

Its nature as a historical artefact is self-evident – an ancient Chinese military treatise that tells us much about the 5th century BC Chinese military from the period it was written. Less self-evident might be its nature as a philosophical artefact of Taoism.

The history of its adaptation and use in East Asian military strategy is well documented. What is perhaps more striking is how it is only recently that it was adapted and used within Western military strategy or theory – essentially the Cold War in Asia and the Vietnam War in particular, prompted by the Asian combatants in those wars seemingly using it successfully against Western militaries.

In fairness, one might also say finally using it successfully against Western militaries. I remember a quip among my friends about the irony of The Art of War as a book of military strategy from China with its recurring history of military defeat, similarly to Machiavelli’s The Prince as a book of political strategy originating from Italy with its recurring history of political instability or chaos. The Book of Lists even includes China in its Top 10 Most Defeated Nations in Modern History.

Finally and most fundamentally, then there’s its use as a lens with which to view history – essentially seeing history through the lens of strategy – although for me that relies on my somewhat idiosyncratic interpretation of The Art of War’s definitive principle of winning without fighting.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m on board with the conventional interpretations of it:

“Sun portrays war as a costly, destructive last resort; prolonged warfare erodes the state faster than the enemy ever could. Sun uses diplomacy and economic principles in explaining how to keep war brief, contained, controlled, and as cheap as possible by minimizing financial exposure. Sun also stresses the importance of intelligence operatives and espionage to both the war effort and the prevention of war.”

My idiosyncratic interpretation has something of its tongue in its cheek, but as usual I’m joking and I’m serious. Sun Tzu’s The Art of War is the cult classic of military strategy. And yet Sun Tzu often comes across as a pinko pacifist pussy, quoting poetry to hide that when he’s not being obvious, he’s being obtuse. I mean, come on – “The onset of troops is like the rush of a torrent which will even roll stones along in its course” and “The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon”. What?!

Of course, part of this is because The Art of War is thoroughly imbued with Taoist philosophy, including my personal favorite principle of ‘wu wei’ or the art of doing nothing effectively. Nowhere is this more evident than in its defining principle that the true art of war lies in winning without fighting. Well obviously, but how? It brings to mind Bart Simpson’s response when his karate teacher gives him a copy for his first lesson – “Um, I already know how not to hit a guy”.

In fairness, Sun Tzu does explain how to win without fighting, when you cut away all the poetry. However, as usual, history shows it much more bluntly, as proved by the United States of America. Of course, it really shouldn’t surprise anyone that this superpower excelled at the art of war, at least until recently – as opposed to, say, Germany, which despite (or perhaps because of) its reputed military professionalism, proved that it was very good at fighting but not very good at war.

RATING: 5 STARS*****

S-TIER (GOD TIER)