Dear Readers,
Most of us have read Sun Tzu’s Art of War. A lot many may have just glanced through. Recently I got this book and read through it. I wondered how valid this treatise's relevance to modern-day warfare is. I decided to test it against the Ukraine-Russia conflict, and to my surprise, the relevance was larger than I had imagined. The realisation compelled me to pen down my observations. I hope you will agree and, if not, refute it in the comment section. Thanks for reading and supporting me.
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Ukraine-Russia Conflict & Sun Tzu’s Art of War
Sun Tzu’s Art of war is one of the most celebrated books on military literature. Written between 500 to 400 BC, it remains relevant to the art of warfare in the military domain. It has found relevance in spheres where competition is intrinsic to the business, for, e.g. Corporate affairs, sports and international relations. The book was written in the classical Chinese language and in a script known as ‘Seal’. Both are now outdated in China. This article has tried to analyse the relevance of Sun Tzu’s thought to modern-day warfare by understanding its relevance in the backdrop of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Introduction
When the author put this question of the relevance of the book to modern-day warfare, the chatGPT’s chat tool had the following answer:
‘Despite being written over two thousand years ago, “The Art of War” remains a widely read and influential text on military strategy and tactics. This is because many of the principles and ideas discussed in the book still apply to modern warfare and the battlefield.
For example, Sun Tzu stresses the importance of knowing oneself and one’s enemy and using that knowledge to gain a strategic advantage. This idea is still relevant today, as militaries around the world continue to prioritise intelligence gathering and analysis in their operations.
Sun Tzu also emphasises the importance of flexibility and adaptability, arguing that successful military leaders must be able to adjust their tactics and strategies as the situation on the battlefield changes. This idea is particularly relevant in modern warfare, where technological advancements and new tactics can quickly render old strategies obsolete.
Other concepts discussed in “The Art of War,” such as the importance of logistics, the use of deception and surprise, and the value of building alliances, are also still relevant to modern warfare.
In addition to its continued relevance in military contexts, many of the principles and ideas discussed in “The Art of War” have also been applied in business, politics, and sports. The book’s focus on strategy, leadership, and decision-making has made it a valuable resource for anyone interested in achieving success in competitive environments.
Overall, while the specifics of warfare may have changed since Sun Tzu’s time, the principles and ideas discussed in “The Art of War” continue to have broad relevance and applicability in modern contexts.’
The answer may seem satisfactory to a reader. Still, for a doubting, Tom could ask: Is it a case where the explanation has been force-fitted to suit today’s context? Hypothecating the argument further: If the relevance was so enormous as many seem to suggest, would Sun Tzu, if he had written ‘Art of War’ today, keep half the script intact without a change? That is a difficult question to answer. The author’s guess is maybe not, for he would seek relevance in today’s reality. The book in its original form was written keeping in mind the state of affairs in 400 BC China, where the dynasties had their armies and the General for the armies was chosen by the Emperor. He had a huge burden of keeping the sovereign territory, its people, and its asset safe. The book speaks of enemies who were the neighbouring dynasties or, at best, invaders from nearby lands. The best lesson one can draw is regarding the human understanding of war and warfare. Hence the famous and often quoted saying, ‘If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the outcomes of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, you will suffer a defeat for every victory gained. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.’ The human understanding of warfare was as evolved then as it is today. This quote is at the end of the fourth Chapter: Attack by Stratagem.
Each of the 13 Chapters of the book has explanations which would be relevant today, as they concern the human understanding of warfare. It involves Soldiers, Weaponry, Enemy, Terrain, Tactics, Intelligence and Strategy. Since these components have remained the same even today, it is easy to carve out their relevance.
Out of the thirteen Chapters, the most relevant to modern-day warfare are Chapter 2: Waging War, Chapter 3: Attack by Stratagem, Chapter 6: Weak Points & Strong, Chapter 9: Army on the March, Chapters 10 & 11 (combined together): Terrain & Nine Situations, and Chapter 13: The Use of Spies. We will expand on each of them in detail a little later. Also, it does not mean that the seven Chapters’ balance is irrelevant. They have but in lesser importance. Throughout the book, the reference to horses, chariots, spears, soldiers, and General-ship indicates battles of the Alexander era. One can marvel at the text’s relevance in those times. During that era, wars were an accepted form of dispute-solving mechanism. In arbitrary or real disputes, the strong consistently enforced their own will over the weak. The emphasis on maintaining a large fighting force was thus a necessity.
Finding Relevance to Modern-day Warfare
In this portion, we derive the relevance of the text to modern-day warfare. Starting with Chapter 2: Waging War. We will take Russia Ukraine conflict as a backdrop to our analysis. A lot has been stated about the reasons for the current conflict. People would ask: Was the war worth the price paid by Russia and Ukraine? In the first verse of this Chapter, Sun Tzu expands on the cost of war, especially the ones a thousand miles away. The cost of 100,000 men would be 1000 ounces of silver. In Ukraine Russia conflict, both countries have paid prices far greater than a thousand ounces of silver. The next verse talks about prolonging the war. The longer the war drags, the duller your men and weapons become. How true even today. The Ukraine-Russia conflict has reached a stage where everyone wants the war to end, yet no one knows how. Verse 6 states: There is no instance of a country having benefitted from a prolonged warfare.
Chapter 3: Attack by Stratagem. Two famous quotes are a part of this Chapter, and they explain the essence of the Chapter. First: To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. President Putin and his General’s strategy and tactics have faced severe criticism in this conflict. Both lacked Sun Tzu’s dictum of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. The second verse has already been quoted on the previous page, If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the outcomes of a hundred battles….. The earlier Chapter and Chapter 3 are more relevant to the times when states ruled within the ramparts of the four walls of a fort. The enemy had no way inside to battle and hence took recourse to a prolonged siege. In modern-day warfare, there is little chance of refuge in fortified cities. Vertical envelopment and the use of weapons from the air nullify that advantage.
Chapter 6: Weak Points & Strong Points. Sun Tzu expands on the need to be ahead of the enemy and make him react by seizing the initiative. Sun Tzu says military tactics are like water, for water in a natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards. So in war, avoid what is strong and strike what is weak. A principle which holds good even today. Yet the Chapter’s relevance is more at the tactical level. When Sun Tzu wrote the book, the equation between adversaries was dyadic, one against the other. If a third party joined the war, it was a part of one of the fighting sides. In modern-day warfare, there is rarely an eventuality when two warring sides are battling it alone. There are supporting forces who join the main force, like the coalition forces in the two Gulf Wars. Or they support by providing arms, ammunition, and technology, like in the case of Ukraine in their conflict with Russia.
Chapter 9: The Army on the March. In this Chapter, the relevance of the use of terrain and crossing obstacles during an offensive has been explained. Credit must be given to Sun Tzu for understanding the nuance of the use of terrain and impediments/delays that an obstacle like a river can pose. He thus propounded tactics to counter the enemy when in defence and precaution when going in for an offensive. An essential part of this Chapter explains the soldiers’ behaviour and how to interpret it concerning the army’s morale. The sight of men whispering together in small knots or speaking in subdued tones points to disaffection amongst rank and file. Second: Too frequent rewards signify that the enemy is at the end of his resources; too many punishments betray a condition of dire distress. Morale forms an essential component of the management of the war effort for any army. In any prolonged war high morale of soldiers is the first casualty. The Russian soldiers were shown on western channels TV suffering from low morale, as would be the case for Ukraine Army but never shown. Thus the linkages between prolonged war and low morale are everlasting and need utmost attention.
Chapters 10 & 11: Terrain & Nine Situations. Sun Tzu explains different types of ground which must be understood. The term is tactical and not geographic; hence, the terrain is stated as ‘Ground’. Accessible ground, entangling ground, temporising ground etc. These terms explain the importance of ground for attack and defence vis-à-vis the enemy. In modern wars, these areas favour the defence, like a home bank of a river or a pass which can be a killing ground. In the recent Ukraine-Russia conflict, many such grounds were part of the conflict, for, e.g. the fight on the west bank of the Dnieper river near Kherson. The town was captured by the Russians in March 2022. Since then, the bridge at Antinovsky bridge has been an important crossing point for Russian forces to cross the Dnieper river to reach its west bank. In July 2022, the Ukranian forces shelled and destroyed the bridge, forcing the Russians to supply the troops with barges and ferries. Coupled with the counter-offensive on Kherson, the Russians were forced to abandon the captured territory west of the river, making a tactical withdrawal for better command and control. Thus Kherson fell to the Ukrainians. In Sun Tzu’s language, it was an ‘Entangling Ground’. A ground is easy to abandon but is very difficult to retake.
The nine situations are most apt for the Ukraine-Russia conflict. It expounds on the challenges that Generals face while conducting operations on nine varieties of grounds. It is particularly true when the forces are attacking, in this case, the Russians. Quoting the verses: When you leave your country behind and take your army across neighbourhood territory, you find yourself on critical ground. Similarly, Sun Tzu explains the concept of severe and facile ground: shallow and deep penetration. The desperate ground where you are hemmed in from both sides. Serious ground, desperate ground and contentious ground. Russian forces have encountered almost all the situations yearlong and are still not ending the war. One of the most extended Chapters, it offers advice to the Generals and leaders of men and rulers alike. One of the final verses is: Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy’s purpose. This verse is profound and explains the spirit of Sun Tzu’s writings. ‘Accommodating to enemy’s purpose’ is understanding the enemy’s war objectives and countering them by careful planning. Sun Tzu describes it as the ability to accomplish a thing by sheer cunning. It could be a lesson for the Russian leader to use more guile and cunning and less force.
Chapter 13: The Use of Spies. Intelligence has now become the key to any war. Thus the importance of this Chapter cannot be under-emphasised. If anything, this has taken a newer dimension. ‘Information Manipulation’. The Ukraine-Russia conflict is a classic example where the media played an equal and decisive role in shaping the battlefield. It also could be the principal reason why the war still drags on. Success, when there is none, exaggeration, and loss when they are not serious, have kept the world misinformed about the actual state of affairs. Media has shaped public opinion in favour of Ukraine and against Russia. Putin is the new Hitler, and Zelensky is the new Eisenhower. While the former may be a Hitler, the latter is no better. Amongst all the Chapters, the most relevant to modern-day warfare is the last Chapter. Use of spies to gain information in its new form: Information Manipulation
Conclusion
The treatise Art of War by Sun Tzu, written in 400 century BC, remains the most acknowledged book on warfare comparable to modern-day military thinkers like Von Clausewitz’s ‘On War’. Thinkers, historians, students, and professionals read it because Art of War provides insight into the human side of warfare. Thus, its application expands beyond the realms of warfare alone, and it gets recognition in governance and business affairs. Sun Tzu, while writing, would not have thought how he would be interpreted two thousand five hundred years later. But if he were alive today, it would have pleased him to see his wide acceptance of his work.
Coming to matters military, are his writings relevant today? It would remain a conjecture. The article above has tried to determine its relevance concerning the latest raging conflict. This comparison itself should answer the question. Yet like, as they say, ‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’; thus, the relevance lies in the extent of the reader’s knowledge. The more knowledgeable the reader, the larger relevance he will find in writing. The Ukraine-Russia conflict still continues and shows no signs of abating. Sun Tzu would have advised both sides to halt, for as he said, ‘There is no instance of a country having benefitted from a prolonged warfare
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