The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify the minor blunders and not be swayed by petty doubts.

A battle avoided cannot be lost.

There are routes not to be followed, armies not to be attacked, citadels not to be besieged, territory not to be fought over.

In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory. In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack.. the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers.

On the field of battle, the spoken word does not carry far enough; hence the institution of gongs and drums... banners and flags. Gongs and drums, banners and flags, are means whereby the ears and eyes of the host may be focused on one particular point.

Appraise war in terms of the fundamental factors. The first of these factors is moral influence.

The expert in battle seeks his victory from strategic advantage and does not demand it from his men.