Sun Szu (500 years plus BC) Art of War (English translation: Khoo Kheng-Hor)
(Consisted of 13 chapters namely: planning, waging war, offensive strategy, tactics, energy, strengths and weakness analysis, manoeuvers, tactical variations, on the march, terrains, nine varieties of ground, attack by fire, espionage.)
Salient Points:-
Under PLANNING,
Five Factors: (Supplemented by six operational elements)
(1) Moral Law - which causes people in be in accord with their ruler so that they will follow him in life unto death without fear for their lives and daunted by perils
(2) Heaven - understanding the natural forces and arrange military operations according to weather
(3) Earth - distance long or short, obstacles
(4) Commands- general's virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness
(5) Doctrine.- army's subdivisions in ranks, supply routes, provisioning,
Salient points for winning a war:-
(1) Know yourself as you know others hundred battles hundred victories.
(2) Commander : Seeks virtues, disciplines himself according to laws in order to effect control over his success.
(3) Management of many is the same as of a few. Divide into number and functions. (See: www.managefranchise.blogspot.com) Manoeuvering an large army is no different from manoeuvering small one: formation and signals.
(4) Without harmony in the state, no military expedition can be made, without harmony in the army, no battle formation can be directed. In war, the general first receives his commands from the ruler and assembles his troops and blends them into an harmonious entity before pitching camps.
(5) Master the manoeuveres. Turn the devious into direct and misfortunes into gain. War is based on deception. Move only when there is a good advantage to be gained and create changes by dividing and concentrating the forces. Be swift as the wind compact as the forest. In raiding and plundering like fire; in stability like mountain. Let your plan be unfathomable as the cloud and move like thunder bolt.
(6) Do not pursue an enemy who pretend to flee. Refrain attack troops whose spirit is keen. Do not swallow a bait put out by the enemy. When surrounding an enemy leave him an escape route. Do not press an enemy to desperation.
(7) In battle number of soldiers does not necessarily secure victories. Never advance by relying blindly on strength of military power. It is sufficient to concentrate on our strength, estimate our enemy's position and seek his capture. Those who lack foresight show contempt and disdain of enemy will only end up being captured.
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Secure the loyalty of your troops first before punishing them or they will not be submissive
Go and read up if you will and see how our SAF generals have succeeded in mastering such complex but highly practical art in coping with our national defence.
The first chapter on Planning obviously has not been implemented by the leaders. So this shortcoming needs to be corrected first to support the SAF. A country divided cannot win a war.