The one who figures on victory at headquarters before even doing battle is the one who has the most strategic factors on his side.

So the important thing in a military operation is victory, not persistence.

All wars are won or lost before they are ever fought.

The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.

To capture an enemies army is better than to destroy it.

Do not press an enemy at bay. Prince Fu Ch'ai said: "Wild beasts, when at bay, fight desperately. How much more is this true of men! If they know there is no alternative, they will fight to the death.

It is a doctrine of war not to assume the enemy will not come, but rather to rely on one's readiness to meet him; not to presume that he will not attack, but rather to make one's self invincible.