The 33 Strategies of War (Animated)

"The art of war is to win without bloodshed or the use of force. (Otherwise) the minimum necessary use of violence." Part I) Self-directed war 1) Declare war on your enemies In 401 B.C. Xenophon led Greek mercenaries into Persian territory. When their leader died and they had nothing left to fight for, surrounded by the enemy, they had to become a concentrated force fighting to return home. The spirit of the soldiers was crushed. They had weak morale and started fighting among themselves. Xenophon united them, thus defeating the enemy within. Focusing on survival, the prospect of returning home to family and friends alive made them persevere.

You can't swing a sword without knowing what to hit with it. It's you against the world and it's you against yourself. Fight your inner demons. Don't let your mind, your emotions and your ego control you. Know yourself and external enemies will not be able to harm you. You can take on anyone (mental toughness). 2) Don't fight in the last war Miyamoto Musashi is one of the most dangerous samurai in history, because he used to change his fighting pattern, changing his tactics regularly to keep his opponents guessing and on the defensive. The nervousness and paranoia this inflicted on his rivals made them easy targets.

What worked in the past may not work again. Forget the past. Adapt to current times, always changing, constantly evolving. George Bernard Shaw said: "The only man I know who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements again every time he sees me. The rest continue with their old measurements and wait for me to adjust them." 3) In the midst of the turmoil of events, do not lose your presence of mind Lord Nelson disobeyed his hysterical commander at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, keeping a calm head in a most hectic situation. By ignoring his commander's authority and seeing the battlefield as he was, Lord Nelson defeated the Danish navy.

You have to be alert when everyone else is rowdy. Don't be intimidated by the chaos. Don't panic. You seek conflict by reacting quickly when the opportunity presents itself. 4) Create a sense of urgency and desperation Fyodor Dostoevsky knew that his days were numbered. In view of his execution, he took advantage of his time by creating each of his works as if they were the last, because they could well have been. Once you come face to face with death, you eliminate the non-essentials of life. You overcome trivialities that we foolishly worry about every day taking our lives for granted.

Dostoevsky's work is exceptional because he was restless. He did not seek comfort. You can't wait for the right moment. You are never completely ready to start. "You were ego eris." As you are, I was. As I am, it will be you. (An inscription on a tombstone reminding you that death is inevitable) Part II) Organizational (team) warfare 5) Avoid the trap of groupthink General George Marshall taught his philosophies on leadership to a handful of protégés whom he had been placed in positions of authority with high-risk responsibilities. . One of these men was Dwight Eisenhower. The general could trust his subordinates, as they had the same beliefs and led their positions according to his vision.

He wants a chain of command that he can trust. You are the General, but you can't have your head everywhere. Implement remote systems and loyal leaders that guarantee the desired outcome. Use them to balance your weaknesses with your strengths and make sure they always keep you up to date. In any case, be careful not to give up too much authority and influence. 6) Segment your forces In 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte faced an attack by Austrian troops led by Karl Mack, after which Napoleon divided his troops and sent them into battle with specific instructions to surround the enemy. French units had freedom of movement, were flexible and fast.

The Austrian troops surrendered. This is the opposite of concentrating your forces, so it is up to you to know when to unite and when to divide your army. Slow, but strong or fast and precise. 7) Transform your war into a crusade 281 BC. Hannibal organized competitive war games to show how far his men would go to join the next fight, to show what they were made of. This is a leadership lesson. Managing men well means 1) leading by example. You use the effects of emotion by emphasizing that you are 2) fighting for a noble cause and that "God is on your side." It's about 3) everything about the team, its spirit, the collective energy and 4) achieving the mission before us.

You 5) punish and reward the behavior accordingly. You 6) unite through every action and 7) get rid of the black sheep, who disturb your leadership. Part III) Defensive Warfare 8) Choose your battles Winston Churchill said, "You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every barking dog." Now the trick is to discern which dogs not only bark, but also bite. You'd be surprised how few of them actually do it and even fewer have the opportunity. Control your ego and ignore the insignificant rest. Don't let pride make your situation worse. Some battles can't be won. First of all, never start them.

Know your limits. Some battles you can win, but at too high a cost. A pyrrhic victory will ruin you. Make your battles worth your time and resources. Why would you fight a battle with grim odds, when you don't have to? Your energy is limited. Do not waste it. 9) Turn the tables In the 1944 Democratic presidential race, the Republican party slandered Franklin Roosevelt, but he did not respond until his dog was attacked. Roosevelt humiliated his opponent by defending his friend and exposing his desperate move for what he was. Roosevelt was not easily irritated. He let his opponents make the first move, waiting and biding for the right moment.

This way he could analyze his strategy and attack the weaknesses of his rivals. In history, defenders tend to emerge victorious more than attackers. We humans don't like aggressors. We don't like bullies. We have a heart for the victims of such attacks, even when they bait and provoke it. Stay calm and turn the situation in your favor. 10) Create a threatening presence 1862 Stonewall Jackson performed a dominant act to intimidate George McClellan during the American Civil War, pointing out all the flaws of his opponents. Build a reputation as a force of nature, a force to be reckoned with. The unpredictability, the madness, the sudden and bold aggression are terrifying.

He plants a seed of doubt in your opponent's mind and fuels his paranoia. Make them believe they can't win and they will quit. Scaring them means breaking them. But be careful. Your opponent may call your bluff, if you are not willing to back up your words with actions. Don't just bark. 11) Trade space for time At the beginning of the Chinese Civil War, Mao Tse-tung's communists were forced to retreat. If the national party had fought against them at that time, they would have won. But the communists seized the opportunity and gathered support by uniting the peasantry, defeating the nationalists in 1949 with a decided advantage.

This is similar to the surrender tactic. Napoleon Bonaparte said: "We can recover space, but never time." You grant your opponent a small victory to take up more space, increase your influence, and weaken the enemy before the battle. Frustrate them by fighting on your own terms. This is classic material from Sun Tzu's Art of War. The enemy chases you and you retreat. The enemy retreats and you pursue him. It is about the advantage that determines the final result. Part IV) Offensive War 12) Lose the battles but win the war Alexander the Great planned his campaign for the distant future, which distinguished him from other leaders.

An example of his determined objectives was the capture of all the major Persian ports in the Mediterranean, effectively leaving the enemy without a navy and eliminating the maritime component from future equations. It wasn't obvious until it was too late. Although it has become a cliché; Think several steps ahead. Determine the target, plan to the end and confuse your opponent leaving him unable to read your actions as they do not seem to have a connection. In other words, have them focus on the trees so they can't see the forest. 13) Know his enemy Prince Metternich met Napoleon Bonaparte in the hope of finding his weak points.

A few years later he had helped arrange Napoleon's marriage to Marie Louise, who was not his most agreeable wife. Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo had also been the work of Metternich's daylight espionage. Know yourself and know your rival. One of the greatest skills in war, both in seduction and in business, is the ability to read people. Master non-verbal communication, hide your observations and devise the most effective tactics based on your knowledge. 14) Overcome resistance with speed and abruptness In 1218, Genghis Khan defeated his opponent, he who shall not be named, with The Blitzkrieg Strategy. He segmented his forces to achieve mobility, lost small battles on purpose and then moved on to serious and rapid attacks, which the enemy had not anticipated.

You start by making slow movements to set the pace to which your rival adapts and then take advantage of the moment of Überraschungs to win the war quickly. 15) Control the dynamics In 1942, during World War II, Erwin Rommel fought against the British in the deserts of North Africa, using smaller units, keeping them moving and out of reach of the opponent. To reduce the gap between events and status updates, he often joined the front line. You have the control. Be assertive. Zugzwang, navigate your opponent, forcing them to move, directly towards your defense area. The only downside to control might be not admitting you have it. 16) Hit them where it hurts In the year 209 B.C.

Publius Scipio conquered Nova Carthago, which was the Carthaginian capital in Spain. Scipio destroyed the vital supply lines of Hannibal's armies. Within five years, Scipio captured Carthage and ended the saga of Hannibal. Everything has a center of gravity. Control it and unbalance the remaining structure, cutting supply lines, belief systems and chains of command. 17) Defeat Them in Detail Divide et Impera: The Strategy of Divide and Conquer In 490 BC. C., the Persians landed on the plains of Marathon, 24 miles near Athens, dividing their army at night, planning to attack Athens by sea. The Greeks attacked the remaining Persians and then fled to Athens to safeguard the city.

This is the origin of "running a marathon." Break up large units and they will be easier targets. When your enemies are on the defensive, they will try to unite and take you on with full force. You don't allow them so much force. 18) Expose and attack the enemy's soft flank In 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte encouraged Baron Joseph Alvinczy to charge forward, thus exposing the flank of his army. This was the opportunity Napoleon had waited for: to surround and defeat his opponent once again. Disorient your opponent, make him lower his guard by deflecting him, and then deliver a powerful blow to his exposed and vulnerable side. 19) Envelop the enemy In 1778, Zulu warriors fought against the British in Natal, putting pressure on them with surprise attacks that came out of nowhere as they knew their territory by heart.

Locking up the opponent negatively affects his mental well-being. Feeling trapped, they will withdraw, if they can. 20) Maneuver them into weakness Bokuden, a master samurai who practiced the art of "winning without hands", was challenged by a young swordsman. Bokuden decided that the duel should take place on an island. As soon as the swordsman left the ship, the grandmaster pushed him away from the shore, leaving the young warrior stranded. He outmaneuvers the opponent, avoiding a disadvantageous direct attack, through calculated moves, giving you greater control over the current situation. 21) Negotiate as you go In 359 BC, Alexander the Great's father, Philip II of Macedonia, came to power, but Athens refused to recognize him.

He spoke of peace and prosperity as he continued to expand his empire by uniting other Greek city-states to lead an attack against the Persians. Negotiate and be willing to reach a win-win agreement, but keep moving forward and focusing on the progress of your organization. Avoid immediate conflict while promoting your interests. Your demands are bold, but increasingly reasonable as your shadow grows. 22) Know how to finish things In 1937, Lyndon Johnson won the election for a congressional seat in Texas with the help of his friends in the party, defeating older and more experienced politicians. Without wasting a second, he humbly addressed them, thanked them and expressed his hopes for a successful future collaboration.

He shows humility in victory and allows new wounds to heal. The best thing for you is for everyone to accept the outcome, accept it, and move on. The exit strategy: Ende gut, alles gut. Part V) Unconventional (dirty) warfare 23) Weaving a perfect blend of reality and fiction In World War II, the allies usedkey tactics that would cloud and slow down Adolf Hitler's decision making before the Normandy invasion. They sat a Doppelgänger of General Montgomery in a distant theater. In England they formed what looked like an army, but it was not. Misinform your opponent, make him see the other way around, while you see what he is at all times.

Make a weak point look strong, make a strong point look weak. Do the opposite of what your opponent really wants. However, do not fully trust the deception. A skilled opponent could see through the illusion, play along, and beat you at your own game. 24) Take the line of least expectation In 219 BC. C., Hannibal attacked the Roman army, provoking them with erratic behavior. When the Romans crossed the Trebia, they found themselves faced with gigantic war elephants. Other times the Romans tried to provoke Hannibal, but to no avail. A big advantage comes from not meeting your opponent's expectations. Others have a mental model of you based on past experiences, stories, and conflicts.

By going against this image they have created, you surprise them in your favor. 25) Occupying the Moral Ground Martin Luther, a German priest, argued against Pope Leo X that only God can forgive sins, since the Pope was trying to gain money from selling privileges. Luther revealed the hypocrisy, justifying his arguments as moral, attacking the Pope's reputation, and refuting him based solely on the Bible. You are good, your opponent is bad. You create an us versus them dynamic, demonize the other and present your side as the virtuous one. However, he may lose support by appearing fair and condescending. 26) Deny them objectives In 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Russia.

His French forces of 450,000 men were decimated to barely 100,000 and they lost even more men in their retreat from him. The Russians were buying time, advancing the French with little conflict and destroying all the resources they could not transport. Guerrilla warfare (Geh-Rrih-Ya) works best in the minds of large armies, tiring and starving the enemy, using nature to their advantage by letting them freeze in the cold or dry in the sun. When your rival is ready to fight, frustrate him with your absence. 27) Appearing to work for the interests of others while promoting his own In 1467, the Duke of Burgundy allied himself with England in hopes of attacking Louis of France in unison.

Louis, however, was informed of the duke's intentions and at the same time allied himself with England, crossing the plans of his adversary. Make strategic alliances that benefit you. Don't hesitate to do favors for those who will be helpful to you in the future. When you treat others with kindness and generosity, you put them in your debt. Keep in mind that rarely does anyone help you without an agenda. 28) Give your rivals enough rope to hang themselves In 1635 the French founded L'Académie Française to protect their language from deterioration. When Bishop Noyon was assigned the position of lawyer, his arrogant and repulsive behavior proved to be a threat to the cause.

They gave him a speech to deliver, which would make him look ridiculous. His blind spots did not allow him to recognize the humiliation he would bring upon himself. Finally the bishop left the academy alone. Some people are inherently self-destructive. You let your adversaries end up being active agents of their own demise. While they overreact, damaging their own reputation, show your innocence. "Do not interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." 29) Take small bites In World War II, Charles de Gaulle visited Winston Churchill to ask permission for a small broadcast to his compatriots in France. It was a small favor and Churchill did not want to offend a new ally.

De Gaulle told the people that he had been suffering under the Blitzkrieg invasion of the Germans. De Gaulle promised to talk to them again the next day, which was not part of the deal, but Churchill played along. What harm could he do? De Gaulle became more aggressive, called the French people to arms, gained more and more support and eventually led his newly recruited forces into Africa, created the French Resistance and became too powerful, step by step. When Churchill, regretting his decisions, and Franklin Roosevelt wanted to replace de Gaulle with a passive alternative, de Gaulle's supporters supported him.

To avoid confrontation, people will give you more leeway and give in to small demands. With short attention spans, they repeat mistakes, allowing your power to grow as you play for time. 30) Penetrate their minds In Renaissance Florence, the Medici dismissed Niccolo Machiavelli from his position. In order to regain his favor, he wrote an untitled letter to the Florentine government, on how to assume and maintain power as ruler. He did not receive the thanks he expected, but he continued to write, which improved the rest of his life and immortalized him as one of the most influential writers on statecraft and modern politics.

After his death, the letter was published as "The Prince" and another manuscript as "Discourses on Livy." Words are weapons. Articulated and profound communication, the precise expression of valuable ideas, can lift you out of poverty, end wars before they start, make powerful friends, and, with a little luck, withstand the fall of time. 31) Destroy from within Wilhelm Canaris infiltrated the German Ministry of Defense. Adolf Hitler himself assigned Canaris in 1933 relying on his advice, being impressed by his ability. It took the German SS an entire decade to realize that he had been working against them successfully. Troy's walls were unbreakable, its archers were well-experienced and devastatingly accurate, but it was the Trojan horse they willingly let into the city, mistaking it for a gift, that crushed them.

Do not attack a fortification with full force, use deception and destroy it from within. 32) Dominate while appearing to submit Mahatma Gandhi organized a 200-mile march as a peaceful protest against an imposed salt tax and, considering it harmless, the authorities stood by and allowed it. The march proved to be a great success: thousands walked the streets in support of the Indians, but disapproving of the British. The government arrived too late to sabotage the passive-aggressive measure. Peaceful non-aggression can be more effective than any act of violence. Your animosity is subtle. While your opponent feels that he is in control, since you do not seem to be power-hungry, you covertly fight for your cause. 33) The Chain Reaction Strategy The Nizaris were an organization that pursued their own interests by using assassins who hid in plain sight, becoming one with large crowds in the streets only to emerge and murder their targets with a dagger. , creating chaos and spreading uncertainty in what was once a familiar and peaceful environment, while increasing their power by recruiting anyone who felt betrayed by the State and its violent attempts to crush the rebellion.

Contrary to what some would have you believe, throughout history the Templars had improved the lives of common people by building safe roads; Assassins, on the other hand, murdered to further their own selfish cause. However, not only can evil spread far and quickly through chain reaction... you can be the change you wish to see in the world and by popularizing this sentiment with your help good can triumph over evil. "When I was young, I wanted to change the world. When I found out I couldn't change the world, I tried to change my nation. When I found out I couldn't change the nation, I tried to change my city.

When I found out I couldn't change the city, I tried change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize that the only thing I can change is myself and I suddenly realize that if I had changed myself a long time ago, I could have changed myself and my family. "We could have had an impact on our city. His impact could have changed the nation and, in fact, I could have changed the world." - Unknown monk 1100AD