In Sun Tzu’s Art of War the overarching philosophy seems to be one of execution and care. It is stated in the “Laying Plans” section, the first topic in the book that “the art of war is of vital importance to the State.” The quote symbolizes the importance of tactical decisions, and careful consideration from military commanders to perform their duties. This is an important lesson taught to us at the Naval Academy through our leadership and ethics classes, but also through our military professors who take the time to share their experiences with us.
The part that stands out most to me is point three in this section. It speaks of “Five Constant Factors” in which the art of war is governed. The five points include “The Moral Law; Heaven; Earth; The Commander; Method and Discipline.” In our leadership classes we are constantly asked questions regarding moral decisions, and how to lead sailors and marines properly. This is a foundation that the Naval Academy tries to teach us, because it is imperative for decision making in stressful situations. I believe Sun Tzu understood this and wanted his soldiers to practice this in combat situations. As for heaven and earth I believe that aligns more with the spiritual side of an individual; at the Naval Academy we are free to practice our own spiritual beliefs, and that helps reinforce the moral side of things. It is hard to make moral decisions if one doesn’t look inside their self for improvements, and it is hard to earn respect from subordinates if they do not do this.
The Commander is a huge aspect in the United States military. We are taught from day one to take respect anyone of superior rank. For example, on I-Day we take the oath which states we will “obey the orders of those appointed over us,” this ranges from officers all the way to the President. In order to have a strong, tactful force the members of that force must have full faith and allegiance to its commanders. Wang Tzu is quoted with “Without constant practice (speaking of moral law), the officers will be nervous and undecided when mustering for battle,” strengthening the importance of faith in commanders. If the forces see a nervous leader they will lose confidence, and this is the reason that confidence is pounded in our brains. This confidence is based upon point five, method and discipline. Obviously, our methods and discipline have evolved over time, but both have importance in our respective forces. The stronger discipline and proven methods create confidence, and for a powerful, well trained force, these attributes create a deadly force.
It is impressive to see parallels between the forces of today and yesterday. To see these parallels just reinforces the necessity of a strong foundation.
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The West in the Pre-Modern World 