He must be able to mystify his officers and men by false reports and appearances, and thus keep them in total ignorance.

Generally in war the best policy is to take a state intact; to ruin it is inferior to this.

Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity; They cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness; Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports; Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of warfare; If a secret piece of news is divulged by a spy before the time is ripe, he must be put to death together with the man to whom the secret was told.

The consummate leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success.

When the general is weak and without authority; when his orders are not clear and distinct; when there are no fixed duties assigned to officers and men, and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner, the result is utter disorganization.

Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenant indicate a plot.

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