Weak leadership can wreck the soundest strategy; forceful execution of even a poor plan can often bring victory.

Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm

To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

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.

Apparent confusion is a product of good order; apparent cowardice, of courage; apparent weakness, of strength.

He who wishes to fight must first count the cost. When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be dampened. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.

If you are strong, appear weak. But if you are weak, appear strong.