Understanding the Art of War - Part 1

Present Times and Present Plans

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Welcome, my friends!

In this series, it is my goal to breakdown The Art Of War by Sun Tzu, and in doing so, to help folks to understand that this book is incredibly relevant to current times. Not just because it is President Trump’s favorite book, but because many of its tactics and talking points are more than apparent on today’s multi-dimensional battlefield.

After all, President Trump is a lifelong student of “The Art Of War.”

This will be a 13-part series, with each article breaking down one chapter from the book.

Now, let’s get to it, shall we?

Who was Sun Tzu?

Sun Tzu was a Chinese Military General, Philosopher, Strategist and Writer. He lived from 544-496 BC during the Eastern Zhou Period. His brilliance and vision for the battlefield is unmatched by almost any military leader in ancient or modern history.

The Art Of War is hailed by military leaders and scholars throughout history. It is widely accepted as a masterpiece on strategy. To this day, it is still cited as an influence for many of the world’s most successful people, including Donald J. Trump.

To understand this book is to understand how President Trump has gone about draining the Swamp, which will, in fact, lead to the eventual defeat of the Deep State.

Chapter 1 — Laying Plans

The art of war is of vital importance to the State.

Yes, it is. We all strive for peace.

None of us enjoy war—soldier and civilian alike. It is nasty. It is ugly. And it tends to bring out the worst in human beings.

That being said: it also serves a purpose. To secure peace is to prepare for war, and any nation that wishes to remain prosperous and successful must have a strong military, if for no other reason than to use it as a deterrent.

Knowing that war is a pre-requisite in today’s world, understand the “art of war” should be of the utmost importance to any world leader who wishes to defend his or her nation should the need arise. It is a matter of life or death. A road either to safety, or to ruin. Hence, it is a subject of inquiry that cannot be neglected

As history has shown, war and the military machine can be used to either secure a nation, defend a nation from attack, or be used to take over a nation.

All of these scenarios have been a common occurrence throughout history, from the days of the Roman Empire right up to the current operation we are seeing in Ukraine, in which I personally believe Vladimir Putin is taking out some trash.

You can’t ignore war. It would be like ignoring the 800-pound gorilla kicking back on your couch. Even if the intention is peace, war must always be present in any leader’s mind. They must be ready to defend their nation on a second’s notice. Or, if needed, to help an ally stave off an attack.

War, or at the very least, the understanding of it is a key element in maintaining peace.

The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into one’s deliberations when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field.

These are: (1) The Moral Law, (2) Heaven, (3) Earth, (4) The Commander, (5) Method & Discipline.

Within these values, we can see that a solid foundation for the concept of war and how to wage it is being laid out by Sun Tzu.

The next set of precepts does a fantastic job of explaining the aforementioned concepts.

The MORAL LAW causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.

What Sun Tzu meant here, I believe, is that the ‘Moral Law’ is a principle of harmony. Very much like the Tao of Lao Tzu in it’s moral aspect.

A quote by Wang Tzu can best illustrate this concept:

“Without constant practice, the officers will be nervous and undecided when mustering for battle; without constant practice, the general will be wavering and irresolute when the crisis is at hand."

HEAVEN signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.

Heaven, in this instance signifies all surroundings.

It encompasses all factors, and in this way Sun Tzu is saying that all things must be taken into account when entering warfare. It is a generalized statement, and not one referring to the Biblical definition of Heaven.

Wang Hsi may have the best interpretation of this passage, however, when he says, "the general economy of Heaven, including the five elements, the four seasons, wind and clouds, and other phenomena must be taken into account when entering a war.”

EARTH comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.

Although this one is pretty self-explanatory, I will add to it by saying that, knowing the battlefield inside and out is every general’s responsibility. It is the General’s job to know the safest passages and the terrain in which he fights. Failing to do so will almost always lead to defeat.

The COMMANDER stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness.

The Commander, or General, or whoever else we deem to be the leader of any military must be someone who is, well … a leader. They must possess a strong morale compass, integrity, courage, good intentions and a heavy hand when needed.

A leader lacking any of these things should not be a leader, for the odds of their victory are diminished by one count for each one of these qualities they do not possess.

By METHOD AND DISCIPLINE are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.

Understanding your army and how best to utilize it’s strengths—and weaknesses—is crucial to achieving success on the battlefield.

Understanding not just your troops, but your roads of transport and fiduciary standing are also very important factors for any leader. One cannot just assemble an army and order them to go and fight. Instead, one must understand and project all facets of the coming conflict in order to be successful.

These five heads should be familiar to every general: he who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail.

Here, Sun Tzu is essentially saying that, if a General is well-prepared, and understands the prior points, then they are more than likely setting themselves up for success.

Now, with that in mind, please recall how often Donald Trump has appeared 5 steps ahead of his enemies, how often he has seemingly set, and subsequently played the game board, turning the overall battlefield in his favor.

Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the Moral law?

Which of the two generals has most ability?

With whom lie the advantages derived from Heaven and Earth?

On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced?

Which army is stronger?

On which side are officers and men more highly trained?

In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment?

There is a lot to unpack with this passage, so I will tackle these points one by one.

When discussing which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the Moral Law, Sun Tzu is saying, “which leader is in true harmony with his subjects/army?” This is important, as a leader who is not in sync with his army is no leader at all.

In discussing which General has the most “ability,” this is not just tactical, but also raises the point of which leader knows his army, as well as all the surrounding situations, landscapes and scenarios best. The one that holds more knowledge in ALL cumulative areas of war will likely be the victor.

Having the advantage derived from Heaven and Earth is explained in not so many words: Who understands all factors the best? Who prepares the best? Who better understands the environment they find themselves in?

Again, the person who does this will be the victor in any conflict.

Discipline goes hand-in-hand with victory, and success. The more you practice something, the higher the likelihood that you will master it, and be victorious at it. If discipline is not enforced, you will not possess a tight and efficient fighting force.

Answering the question of ‘which army is stronger’ is not as simple as viewing numbers of each force, or even the technology involved within each army.

Instead, it boils down to which army is not only physically the stronger, but mentally as well.

Which army has discipline and maturity? Which army has the leader that has given himself fully to understanding the battle he is entering before he enters it? This is the army that will emerge as strongest, and in all likelihood will win the conflict.

Training and repetition also play a huge role in achieving victory on the battlefield. The army that utilizes its time to train and prepare more efficiently will often be the army that succeeds in war.

That said, while discipline and punishment are needed in any army, so too are rewards.

In essence, the leader that treats his army with more respect and enacts hard, but fair rules will more than likely come out victorious. Merit must be properly rewarded and misdeeds properly punished.

By means of these seven considerations I can forecast victory or defeat.

Based upon the previous seven questions, one can ascertain which side is more than likely going to emerge victorious in conflict.

The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat: let such a one be dismissed.

In this passage, Sun Tzu is suggesting that those who heed his advice will indeed conquer, while those who ignore his words will almost certainly fail.

While heeding the profit of my counsel, avail yourself also of any helpful circumstances over and beyond the ordinary rules.

According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one’s plans.

Remain fluid. Remain openminded, and willing to make adjustments to your plan or strategy as needed.

This is an absolute must in any conflict, as no situation in warfare ever remains static, or easily managed for long. The ability to think on one’s feet and be open to new avenues of attack are vital to achieving success in war.

Sun Tzu cautions us here not to pin our faith to abstract principles, for, as Chang Yu puts it, "while the main laws of strategy can be stated clearly enough for the benefit of all and sundry, you must be guided by the actions of the enemy in attempting to secure a favorable position in actual warfare.

On the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, Lord Uxbridge, commanding the cavalry, went to the Duke of Wellington in order to learn what his plans and calculations were for the morrow, because, as he explained, he might suddenly find himself Commander-in-chief and would be unable to frame new plans in a critical moment.

The Duke listened quietly and then said: ‘Who will attack the first tomorrow—I or Bonaparte?’ ‘Bonaparte,’ replied Lord Uxbridge. ‘Well,’ continued the Duke, ‘Bonaparte has not given me any idea of his projects; and as my plans will depend upon his, how can you expect me to tell you what mine are?’”

All warfare is based on deception.

Now we come to the most simple, direct and accurate passage in this entire manual.

All warfare begins, is fought, and ends under conditions of deception.

This includes psychological warfare, as well. For a prime example of this, look no further than to Trump’s seeming support of the vaccines. On its face, it does in fact appear to be a questionable move; however, on a deeper level, his doing so deprived the enemy of a valuable weapon and may have kept a far worse fate from befalling Americans, in my view.

Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.

Utilizing the art of misdirection or deception is a valuable asset in combat.

One never wants to forecast his moves, and when applicable, one should always try to make the enemy believe the exact opposite of the truth of one’s moves and motives.

If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.

If one’s enemy is big and strong, then be small and fast.

If one’s enemy is well-prepared, then one must be even more ardent in one’s own preparation.

Always seek to stay one step ahead of one’s enemies.

If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.

Wang Tzu’s quote on this should sound very familiar:

“The good tactician plays with his adversary as a cat plays with a mouse, first feigning weakness and immobility, and then suddenly pouncing upon him.”

Does this or does this not seem reminiscent of Trump’s actions over the past 6+ years?

He is constantly ‘trolling’ his enemies, making fun of them … baiting them.

At times, he indeed comes off as the ‘cat playing with the mouse.’

Thus, when he says, ‘We caught them all,’ I believe he means it. And his consistent rhetoric added to his consistent method of playing with his enemy should tell you far more than any action he has taken, or has yet to take.

If he is taking his ease, give him no rest.

If his forces are united, separate them.

If your enemy decides to take his foot off the gas, or to have a rest at an inopportune time, this is exactly when you attack with the most pressure.

This is most evident on the current political battlefield by the actions being taken by Congress against the Biden administration.

If you believe as I do that the Twitter Files are an operation launched by the good guys, then this concept also has merit here, as these are all ‘attacks’ being launched by patriots at a time when the Admin has ‘settled in’ and gotten comfortable.

Division is a primary tactic used by any aggressor in warfare. We see it everyday within our own movement, often with the actions of infiltrators whose goal is to divide our movement, making it all the more susceptible to defeat.

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand.

In appearing where one is not expected, think about Trump’s improbable run to the Presidency.

The Deep State was not expecting him to run, much less to win.

A military plan is never divulged. Ever.

‘Operators never divulge.’

Anyone saying any different is flat-out lying to you. In order for any military plan to succeed, secrecy is paramount.

Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought.

The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.

The mention of a temple here can be swapped out with any barracks or office a general commands from. In ancient times, temples were set aside to serve as operations centers for military leaders.

What Sun Tzu is saying here is that one must always be willing to make calculations and decisions on the fly. One must always seek to assess and analyze the battlefield, as well as one’s enemy. Due diligence, hard work, and repetition breed success. The leader who doesn’t seek these things, but rather chooses to rest on his laurels will almost always come out on the losing side.

By now, you should be at a point wherein you are beginning to realize how expertly President Trump has applied the lessons from the first chapter of The Art Of War not just throughout his Presidency, but over the course of the last two years as well.

As this series unfolds, I hope it will become even more clear how this book has served as a guideline for patriots waging the war we are currently embroiled in, and my goal is to show you that everything we are witnessing has been calculated by Trump and his team, and that what you are seeing is a long-term dismantling of our enemy, accomplished through the application of tenets expressed in The Art Of War.

And make no mistake … we are, in fact, at war.

Thus, understanding The Art Of War will not only help you better understand why ‘things are taking so long,’ but to a finer point, it will also help you to understand how YOU can best play a role in this war.

Thank you as always for reading and for your support. God bless, patriots!

Badlands Media articles and features represent the opinions of the contributing authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Badlands Media itself.

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