(2) "The victorious soldier wins first" - Sun Tzu's theory of victory first
Sun Tzu believed: "The victorious soldier wins first and then seeks war, and the defeated soldier fights first and then seeks victory." Here "Victory first" means to have the conditions to win the war before the war. The first is to know your enemy and yourself. Sun Tzu attaches great importance to the advantages and disadvantages of both sides, which is the objective basis for determining the outcome of a war. He profoundly pointed out that in war guidance, the key is to "know your enemy and yourself" so that you can "win a hundred battles without danger." To know one's enemy and one's self not only requires understanding and grasping the "Five Matters" and "Seven Strategies" from a strategic perspective, but also requires understanding and mastering the changing specific situations of both sides during the entire battle. This is a basic idea throughout the book and the essence of this military book. "Sun Tzu" emphasizes knowing your enemy and yourself, the purpose is to win first. This theory of Sun Tzu fully embodies the thinking method of proceeding from reality and seeking truth from facts, and it is still a scientific truth today.
Since Sun Tzu revealed the principle of knowing your enemy and yourself, throughout the ages, countless ironclad facts have confirmed its correctness and greatness time and time again. Any victor in war guidance can always find the experience of "knowing one's enemy and knowing oneself" from their actions. On the contrary, anyone who violates this military principle will not be able to prepare for war in peacetime and will inevitably lose the battle in wartime.
"When the great river goes eastward, the waves are swept away, and the romantic figures of the ages are revealed." When people mention Su Dongpo's famous poem, they will think of the raging fire lit by the Wu and Shu allied forces in the Chibi Yangtze River during the Three Kingdoms period. It was this fire that burned Cao Cao's hundreds of thousands of troops, turning them upside down and turning them into ashes. It burned into a situation of three kingdoms, and it also left people with endless thoughts. Although Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu and other commanders of the Wu-Shu Alliance did not have many soldiers, they were good at "knowing their enemies and knowing themselves" and seized the biggest weakness of Cao's army: the long journey, the lack of men and horses; the northern officers and soldiers were not used to water warfare, and thousands of warships were connected vertically and horizontally. . So, with the help of a few straw boats and a gust of east wind, they directed this earth-shattering scene of history.
It is these countless positive experiences and negative lessons that warn Chinese and foreign military strategists not to forget the teachings of Sun Tzu. .
The second is to conduct "temple calculations". The so-called "temple calculations" means that in ancient China, whenever a country encountered war, it was reported to the ancestral temple and set up in the Mingtang. It was a way of analyzing the situation and formulating strategies. "Sun Tzu's Art of War: Planning Chapter" said: "If the temple is not the winner before the battle, it should be considered as more; if the temple is not the winner before the battle, it should be the less." ""Temple calculation" is the first strategic concept in Chinese history. Sun Tzu realized that whether the pre-war strategic analysis is conducted well will directly affect the outcome of the war. Therefore, it is necessary to base on the situation of both the enemy and ourselves. Based on the existing material conditions and war potential, make systematic comparisons from the aspects of Tao, heaven, earth, generals, and laws, analyze the situation, fully estimate the various possibilities of military operations, formulate plans, and make decisions.
(3) "Five Matters and Seven Strategies" - Sun Tzu's Theory of Combat Power
The strategic forecasting thought and operational theory with "Five Matters and Seven Strategies" as the central content is the core content of "Sun Tzu's Art of War" "One of the core ideas of the book. It comprehensively reveals the inner laws of military struggle and is a high-level summary of Sun Wu's military tactics.
What is Sun Tzu's "Five Things and Seven Strategies"? Said: "Therefore, the scriptures are divided into five, and they are revised based on calculation and emotion: one is called Tao, the second is called Heaven, the third is called Earth, the fourth is called General, and the fifth is called Law." They respectively refer to politics, weather, geography, and the quality of generals. , military system and other five aspects. The "seven strategies" are derived from the "five things". The main meaning is to analyze the situation of the enemy and the enemy from seven aspects. Which side has the right time and place? Which side has strict discipline? Which side has well-trained soldiers?
Through the comprehensive analysis and comparison of the above factors, we can see. Only by knowing the strength of the two sides' combat effectiveness and the situation of each other's victory or defeat can we draw the conclusion that "I will know the outcome of the war by this". The factors that constitute the outcome of the war also include economic factors and diplomatic factors.
< p>Sun Tzu's strategic prediction thought and operational theory centered on Five Things and Seven Strategies revealed the inherent laws of military struggle. There are many examples in this regard. Cao Cao's military prediction and strategic operation on the eve of the Battle of Guandu can be said to be a true understanding and peace of mind. A successful example of using Five Things and Seven Strategies.