Attack By Stratagem

What caught my eye in this chapter was about the Commander in Chief. Sun Tzu talked about the importance of having a Commander who is in the Military. There is a difference in a Commander based on if they are a civilian or a real military official. Tzu talked about how it is important then that the highest ranking in the military and the commander in chief must be able to come to agreements about things. The Commander in Chief has the final say in what happens, but it is important that they know all the facts and give orders in every one's best interest. The highest ranking in the Military must be able to take orders and execute them the way the commander in chief wants.

On War

Reading this chapter, i was thinking to myself, the US should have read this during the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War went bad because of bad choices. The chapter started with saying that it is important to get troops in and out of a war quickly. If they choose to keep the troops in a war for too long, morale goes down and the enemy learns their weaknesses and use them to benefit the enemy. Because our troops were put in Vietnam so long, hope was lost because they didn't know when they could go home and then if they would have to go back. Leaders also have to know when enough is enough. They need to know if their troops are worn out.

Laying of Plans

This first chapter reminded me a lot of what we have discussed in class. There was a good amount of reading based on Terrain Analysis in the beginning of the book. The chapter said that it is very important to analyze the surroundings to gain advantage against the enemy. Along with analyzing the surroundings for advantage, it is also important to plan a good route that is quick and safe.

The Chapter also talked a lot about planning an attack. It is important to fully understand the situation you are in. Another crucial element in planning is knowing who your enemy is. this means what are their strengths, weaknesses, and size. Being able to know who your enemy is will help in a successful mission.