A Comprehensive Guide to the Strategies of China's Wars Through the Ages, Volume One

This book selects practical examples of twelve commonly used ancient military tactics, offering a detailed guide to how they work in battle and how they secure victory. These tactics include surprise attacks to defeat the strong with the weak; desperate assaults to overcome the many with the few; campaigns that exhaust distant enemies while uniting the weak against the strong; annihilation campaigns that gather elite forces and encircle the enemy; feints that draw out the enemy before striking at their weak points; flanking maneuvers that attack where the enemy is unprepared; ambushes built around clever bait and false signals; counterattacks that wait for the right moment and seize the initiative; defensive campaigns that fortify positions and stand ready; psychological warfare that breaks morale and conquers without fighting; lightning strikes that achieve swift victory through surprise; and battles between evenly matched forces that test strength and strategy. Throughout history, commanders who could flexibly employ different strategies and tactics were often able to achieve remarkable victories. Drawing on their wisdom and battlefield experience, they rose to positions of power, rendered outstanding service, and earned lasting honors. These stories, rich with profound and masterful strategy, can inspire us to think more wisely, discover our potential, and strive to forge our own success.