"The art of war is to win without bloodshed
or the use of force.
(Otherwise) the minimum necessary use of violence."
Part I) Self-Directed Warfare
1) Declare War on Your Enemies
In 401 BC Xenophon led Greek mercenaries into
Persian territory.
When their leader died and they had nothing
more to fight for, surrounded by the enemy,
they had to become a concentrated force fighting
their way back home.
The soldiers' spirit was crushed.
They had weak morale and started fighting
eachother.
Xenophon united them, thus defeating the inner
enemy.
Focusing on survival, the prospect of getting
home alive to family and friends made them
persevere.
You cannot swing a sword without knowing what
to hit with it.
It's you against the world and it's you against
yourself.
Fight your inner demons.
Do not let your mind, your emotions and your
ego control you.
Know yourself and external enemies won't be
able to harm you.
You can stand up against anyone (mental fortitude).
2) Do Not Fight the Last War
Miyamoto Musashi is one of history's most
dangerous Samurais, because he used to switch
up his fighting pattern, changing his tactics
regularly to keep his opponents guessing and
on the defensive.
The nervousness and paranoia this inflicted
on his rivals made them easy targets.
What has worked in the past, may not work
again.
Forget the past.
Adapt to current times, ever-changing, ever-evolving.
George Bernard Shaw said "The only man I know
who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes
my measurements anew each time he sees me.
The rest go on with their old measurements
and expect me to fit them."
3) Amidst the Turmoil of Events, Do Not Lose
Your Presence of Mind
Lord Nelson disobeyed his hysterical commander
in the battle at Copenhagen in 1801, keeping
a calm head in a most hectic situation.
By disregarding his commander's authority
and seeing the battlefield for what it was
Lord Nelson defeated the Danish navy.
You have to stay alert, when everyone else
is in uproar.
Do not be intimidated by chaos.
Do not panic.
You seek out the conflict reacting swiftly,
when the opportunity presents itself.
4) Create a Sense of Urgency and Desperation
Fyodor Dostoevsky knew his days were numbered.
Facing his execution he made use of his time
by creating each of his works as if they were
his last, because they very well could've
been.
Once you come face to face with death, you
eliminate life's non-essentials.
You overcome trivialities we foolishly care
about every day taking our lives for granted.
Dostoevsky's work is exceptional, because
he was restless.
He did not seek comfort.
You cannot wait for the right time.
You are never fully prepared to start.
"Tu fui ego eris."
As you are, I was.
As I am, you will be.
(A gravestone inscription reminding you that
death is unavoidable)
Part II) Organizational (Team) Warfare
5) Avoid The Snare of Groupthink
General George Marshall taught his philosophies
on leadership to a handful of protégés he'd
put into authoritative positions with high
risk responsibilities.
One of these men was Dwight Eisenhower.
The General could rely on his subordinates,
as they held the same beliefs and ran their
positions according to his vision.
You want a chain of command you can rely on.
You are the General, but you cannot have your
head everywhere.
Put remote systems and loyal leaders into
place that will guarantee the desired outcome.
Use them to balance your weaknesses with their
strengths and ensure they always keep you
up to date.
In any case, be careful not to give up too
much of your own authority and leverage.
6) Segment Your Forces
In 1805 Napoleon Bonaparte faced an attack
by Austrian troops led by Karl Mack, upon
which Napoleon divided his troops and sent
them into battle with specific instructions
of surrounding the enemy.
The French units were free to move, flexible
and quick.
The Austrian troops surrendered.
This is the opposite of Concentrating Your
Forces, hence it's on you to know, when to
unite and when to divide your army.
Slow, but strong or fast and precise.
7) Transform Your War into a Crusade
281 BC Hannibal arranged competitive war games
to demonstrate how far his men would go to
join the upcoming fight, to show what they
were made of.
This is a lesson in leadership.
Managing men well means 1) leading by example.
You use the effects of emotion by emphasizing
that you are 2) fighting for a noble cause
and that "God is on your side."
It's 3) all about the team, its spirit, the
collective energy and 4) the achievement of
the mission ahead.
You 5) punish and reward behavior accordingly.
You 6) bond together through each action and
7) get rid of the black sheep, who disrupt
your leadership.
Part III) Defensive Warfare
8) Pick Your Battles
Winston Churchill said "You will never reach
your destination if you stop and throw stones
at every dog that barks."
Now the trick is in discerning which dogs
not only bark, but also bite.
You'd be surprised how few of them actually
do and even fewer ever get the opportunity.
Control your ego and ignore the insignificant
rest.
Do not let pride worsen your situation.
Some battles you cannot win.
Never start them in the first place.
Know your limits.
Some battles you can win, but at too high
a cost.
A Pyrrhic victory will ruin you.
Make your battles worth your time and resources.
Why would you fight a battle with grim odds,
when you don't have to?
Your energy is limited.
Don't waste it.
9) Turn the Tables
In the 1944 Democratic Presidential race,
the Republican party slandered Franklin Roosevelt,
but he did not respond until they attacked
his dog.
Roosevelt humiliated his opponent by defending
his pet friend and exposing their desperate
move for what it was.
Roosevelt was not easily irritated.
He let his opponents make the first move,
waiting and biding his time.
This way he could analyze their strategy and
attack his rivals' weaknesses.
In history defenders are more often victorious,
than attackers.
We humans do not like aggressors.
We don't like bullies.
We have a heart for the victims of such attacks,
even when they lay the bait and provoke it.
Stay calm and turn the situation into your
favor.
10) Create a Threatening Presence
1862 Stonewall Jackson put on a dominant act
intimidating George McClellan during the American
Civil War by pointing to all of his opponents'
flaws.
Build the reputation of being a force of nature,
a force to be reckoned with.
Unpredictability, madness, sudden and bold
aggression is terrifiying.
Plant a seed of doubt in your opponent's mind
and feed his paranoia.
Make them believe they cannot win and they
will retreat.
To scare them means to break them.
But be careful.
Your opponent may call your bluff, if you're
unwilling to back up your words with action.
Don't merely bark.
11) Trade Space for Time
In the beginning of the Chinese Civil War
Mao Tse-tung's communists were forced to retreat.
Had the national party fought them at that
time, they would have won.
But the communists took the opportunity and
gathered support by uniting the peasantry,
defeating the nationalists in 1949 with a
decided advantage.
This is similar to the Surrender Tactic.
Napoleon Bonaparte said "Space we can recover,
time never."
You grant your opponent a small win in order
to take up more space, grow your leverage
and weaken the enemy before battle.
Frustrate them by fighting on your terms.
This is classic Sun Tzu's Art of War material.
The enemy gives you chase you retreat.
The enemy retreats you pursue.
It's all about the advantage that determines
the end result.
Part IV) Offensive Warfare
12) Lose The Battles But Win The War
Alexander the Great planned his campagin far
into the future, which distinguished him from
other leaders.
One example of his purposeful goals was the
capturing of all greater Persian Mediterranean
ports, effectively leaving the enemy without
a navy and taking the sea component out of
future equations.
It wasn't obvious until it was too late.
Even though it has become a cliché; think
several moves ahead.
Determine the bullseye, plan to the end and
confuse your opponent leaving him unable to
read your actions, since they don't seem to
have a connection.
In other words, make them focus on the trees
so that they can't see the forest.
13) Know Your Enemy
Prince Metternich met Napoleon Bonaparte hoping
he could find his weak spots.
A few years later he had helped arrange Napoleon's
marriage to Marie Louise, who wasn't the most
pleasant wife.
Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo had also been
the work of Metternich's spying in broad daylight.
Know thyself and know thy rival.
One of the greatest skills in war, as in seduction
as in business is the ability to read people.
Master non-verbal communication, hide your
observations and devise the most effective
tactics based on your insights.
14) Overwhelm Resistance With Speed and Suddenness
In 1218 Genghis Khan overcame his opponent,
the one who shall not be named, with The Blitzkrieg
Strategie.
He segmented his forces for mobility, lost
small battles on purpose, then shifted to
serious and fast attacks, which the enemy
had not anticipated.
You start by making slow moves to set the
pace to which your rival adjusts, then exploit
the Überraschungsmoment to win the war quickly.
15) Control the Dynamic
In 1942 during the 2nd World War, Erwin Rommel
fought the British on the North African deserts,
using smaller units, keeping them on the move
and out of the opponent's reach.
In order to reduce the gap between events
and status updates he'd often join the front
line.
You're in control.
Be assertive.
Zugzwang, navigate your opponent by forcing
him to move, directly into your area of defense.
The only downside to control might be not
admitting that you have it.
16) Hit Them Where it Hurts
In 209 BC Publius Scipio conquered Nova Carthago,
which was the Carthaginian capital in Spain.
Scipio destroyed Hannibal's armies' vital
supply lines.
Within 5 years Scipio captured Carthage and
ended Hannibal's saga.
Everything has a center of gravity.
Take a hold of it and unbalance the remaining
structure, cutting supply lines, belief systems
and chains of command.
17) Defeat Them in Detail
Divide et Impera -- the Divide and Conquer
Strategy
In 490 BC the Persians landed on the plains
of Marathon 24 miles near Athens, splitting
their army at night, planning to attack Athens
by sea.
The Greeks attacked the remaining Persians,
then ran all they way back to Athens to safeguard
the city.
This is the origin of "running a marathon."
Divide large units and they're easier targets.
When your enemies are on the defensive, they
will try to unite and face you with their
full force.
You do not allow them such strength.
18) Expose and Attack Your Enemy's Soft Flank
In 1796 Napoleon Bonaparte baited Baron Joseph
Alvinczy into charging forward, hence exposing
his armies flank.
This was the opportunity Napoleon had hoped
for, surrounding and defeating his opponent
once more.
Disorient your rival, make him drop his guard
through indirection, then deliver a powerful
blow to his exposed and vulnerable side.
19) Envelop The Enemy
In 1778 the Zulu warriors fought the British
in Natal pressuring them with surprise attacks
out of nowhere by knowing their home territory
by heart.
Enclosing the opponent does a number on his
mental well-being.
Feeling trapped they will retreat, if they
can.
20) Maneuver Them Into Weakness
Bokuden, a master samurai who was practicing
the art of "winning without hands" was challenged
by a young swordsman.
Bokuden decided they should have the duel
on an island.
As soon as the swordsman left the boat, the
grandmaster pushed it away from the shore,
leaving the young warrior stranded.
Outsmart the opponent, avoiding an advantageless
direct attack, through calculated moves, which
grant you greater control over the situation
at hand.
21) Negotiate While Advancing
In 359 BC Alexander the Great's father Philip
II of Macedonia came to power, Athens refusing
to recognize him.
He spoke of peace and prosperity as he continued
to expand his empire uniting other Greek city-states
to lead an attack on the Persians.
Negotiate, willing to come to a win-win arrangement,
but keep moving focusing on your organization's
progress.
You avoid immediate conflict, while furthering
your interests.
Your demands are bold, yet ever-more reasonable,
as your shadow grows.
22) Know How To End Things
In 1937 Lyndon Johnson won the election for
a Texas Congressional seat with the help of
his friends in the party, defeating the older
and experienced politicians.
Not wasting a second he humbly took to them,
thanked them and expressed his hopes for future
collaboration, successfully.
Show humility in victory and let fresh wounds
heal.
It's in your best interest that everyone accepts
the outcome, comes to terms with it and moves
on.
The exit strategy -- Ende gut, alles gut.
Part V) Unconventional (Dirty) War
23) Weave a Seamless Blend of Fact and Fiction
In the 2nd World War, the allies made use
of key tactics that would cloud and slow down
Adolf Hitler's decision-making before the
invasion at Normandy.
They sat a Doppelgänger of General Montgomery
in a theater far away.
In Engand they set up what looked like an
army, but wasn't.
Misinform your opponent, make him see upside
down, while you see what is at all times.
Make a weak spot look strong, make a strong
spot look weak.
Do the opposite of what your opponent is really
wishing for.
However, don't fully rely on deception.
A skilled opponent might see through the illusion,
play along and beat you at your own game.
24) Take The Line of Least Expectation
In 219 BC Hannibal attacked the Roman army
baiting them through erratic behavior.
As the Romans crossed the Trebia, they found
themselves facing gigantic war elephants.
Other times the Romans tried to bait Hannibal,
but to no avail.
Great advantage comes from not meeting your
opponent's expectations.
Others have a mental model of you based on
past experiences, stories and conflict.
By going against this image they've created
you surprise them in your favor.
25) Occupy the Moral High Ground
Martin Luther, a German priest, argued against
Pope Leo X that only god can forgive one's
sins, as the pope was trying to earn money
by selling privileges.
Luther revealed the hypocrisy, justifying
his arguments as moral, attacking the reputation
of the pope and refuting him based solely
on the bible.
You're good, your opponent is evil.
You create an us versus them dynamic, demonize
the other and present your side as the virtuous
one.
However, you may lose support seeming righteous
and condescending.
26) Deny Them Targets
In 1812 Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Russia.
His French forces of 450'000 men were decimated
to a mere 100'000 losing even more men on
their retreat.
The Russians were playing for time, drawing
the French forward with little conflict, destroying
any resources they could not carry.
Guerrilla (Geh-Rrih-Ya) warfare works best
on the minds of large armies, tiring and starving
the enemy, using nature to your advantage
by letting them freeze in the cold or dry
up in the sun.
When your rival is ready to fight, frustrate
him through your absence.
27) Seem to Work for the Interests of Others
While Furthering Your Own
In 1467 the Duke of Burgundy allied with England
in the hopes of attacking Louis of France
in unison.
Louis, however, was informed of the Duke's
intentions and allied with England in the
same breath, crossing his adversary's plans.
Make strategic alliances that benefit you.
Do not hesitate to do favors for those who
will be of help in the future.
As you treat others kindly and generously,
you put them in your debt.
Keep in mind, rarely does anyone help you
without an agenda.
28) Give Your Rivals Enough Rope To Hang Themselves
In 1635 the French founded L'Académie Française
to protect their language from deteriorating.
When the Bishop the Noyons was given the position
of counsel his arrogant and repelling demeanor
proved to be a threat to the cause.
He was given a speech to perform, with which
he would make a total fool of himself.
His blindspots didn't allow him to recognize
what humiliation he would bring over himself.
At last the Bishop left the academy on his
own.
Some individuals are inherently self-destructive.
You let your adversaries end themselves as
active agents in their own demise.
As they overreact, hurting their own reputation,
show your innocence.
"Don't interrupt your enemy when he is making
a mistake."
29) Take Small Bites
In the 2nd World War Charles de Gaulle visited
Winston Churchill to ask for permission for
a small broadcast to his fellow countrymen
in France.
It was a small favor and Churchill didn't
want to offend a fresh ally.
De Gaulle spoke to his people who had been
suffering under the Blitzkrieg invasion of
the Germans.
De Gaulle promised to talk to them again the
following day, which hadn't been part of the
bargain, but Churchill played along.
What harm could it do?
De Gaulle became more aggressive, calling
the French people to arms, gathering ever-more
support, eventually leading his newly-recruited
forces in Africa, creating the French Resistance
and becoming all too powerful, step by step.
When Churchill, regretting his decisions and
Franklin Roosevelt wanted to replace de Gaulle
with a passive alternative, de Gaulle's supporters
stood by him.
In order to avoid confrontation, people will
give you more leeway and give in to small
demands.
With short attention spans they repeat mistakes,
allowing your power to grow, as you play for
time.
30) Penetrate Their Minds
In renaissance Florence the Medici discharged
Niccolò Machiavelli from his post.
Aiming to regain favor he then wrote a titleless
letter to the Florentine government, on how
to take over and keep power as a ruler.
He didn't receive the thanks he was hoping
for, but he kept writing, which improved his
remaining life and immortalized him as one
of the most influental writers on the art
of governance and modern politics.
After his death the letter was published as
"The Prince", another manuscript as "Discourses
on Livy."
Words are weapons.
Articulate and profound communication, the
precise expression of valuable ideas, can
lift you out of poverty, end wars before they
begin, make powerful friends and with a bit
of luck withstand the fall of time.
31) Destroy From Within
Wilhelm Canaris infiltrated the German Defense
Ministry.
Adolf Hitler himself assigned Canaris in 1933
trusting his counsel, being impressed by his
skill.
It would take the German SS a full decade
until they realized he had been working against
them, successfully.
Troy's walls were unbreakable, their archers
well-seasoned and devestatingly accurate,
but it was the Trojan horse that they willingly
let inside the city, mistaking it for a gift,
that crushed them.
Do not attack a fortification with full force,
use deception and destroy from within.
32) Dominate While Seeming to Submit
Mahatma Gandhi arranged a 200 mile march as
a peaceful protest against an imposed Salt
Tax and deeming it harmless the authorities
stood idle, permitting it.
The march turned out to be a big success,
thousands walking the streets in support of
Indians, but in disapproval of the British.
The government was too late to sabotage the
passive-agressive move.
Peaceful non-aggression can be more effective,
than any act of violence.
Your animosity is subtle.
While your opponent feels in control, since
you don't appear to be eager for power, you
covertly fight for your cause.
33) The Chain Reaction Strategy
The Nizari were an organization pursuing their
own interests by using assassins who hid in
plain sight becoming one with large crowds
in the streets only to emerge and assassinate
their targets with a dagger creating chaos
and spreading uncertainty in what was once
a familiar and peaceful surrounding, while
increasing their power by recruiting anyone
who felt betrayed by the state and its violent
attempts to squash the rebellion.
Unlike some would lead you to believe, throughout
history the templars had improved the lives
of the common folk by building safe roads,
the assassins on the other hand murdered to
further their own selfish cause.
However, not only evil can spread far and
quickly through the chain reaction ... you
can be the change you want to see in the world
and in popularizing this sentiment with your
help good may triumph over evil.
"When I was a young man, I wanted to change
the world.
When I found I could not change the world,
I tried to change my nation.
When I found I could not change the nation,
I tried to change my town.
When I found I could not change the town,
I tried to change my family.
Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing
I can change is myself.
And suddenly I realize that if long ago I
had changed myself, I could have made an impact
on my family.
My family and I could have made an impact
on our town.
Their impact could have changed the nation.
And I could indeed have changed the world."
- Unknown Monk 1100AD
