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

Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will.

Therefore a victorious army first wins and then seeks battle; a defeated army first battles and then seeks victory.

Winning Strategists are certain of triumph before seeking a challenge. Losing Strategists are certain to challenge before seeking a triumph.

Who can determine where one ends and the other begins?

What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.

You can ensure the success of your attacks if you only attack places that are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. Therefore, that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.