Learning from the Past

MIDN 3/C Ionatan A. Soule, USN

When joining the military one must be fully aware of what they are getting themselves into.  While we, the military of the United States of America, may not currently be engaged in an all-out war, we are still engaged in many armed conflicts around the globe.  Things may be relatively peaceful now, but there is no guarantee that they will remain as such or that one will not have to partake in some sort of combative role.  Put simply, there is still a very large chance that one will be put into harm’s way and be required to make the decision of whether or not to take the life of another human being.  As a future officer in the Navy, I will be directly responsible for both the wellbeing of my people and the decision of whether or not it is morally right and just to eliminate a target…I will be responsible for the way in which we conduct war.  Sun Tzu’s The Art of War is a masterpiece on military tactics written during the Zhou Dynasty of the Warring States period in China around 750-450 BCE.  Though dated, this book contains very important insights on strategy that, with a little modification, are still applicable to today’s modern warfare landscape.

The period itself, the Warring States period, was a period of conflict and change—change of borders, rulers, culture, etc…  During this conflict, armies devised new military methods and strategies.  By studying this period and the Art of War, I will be better prepared to lead in the future.  I believe that one of the most important lines in the ­Art of War is, “Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting” (Art of War).  This quote speaks directly to the truth that war is worse than hell.  As an officer, one must not be too willing to charge headfirst into battle.  Actual combat must be reserved as an action of last resort when all other diplomatic means have been utterly exhausted.  It is important to keep this mentality at the forefront of one’s mind when making military decisions.

Another key insight of Master Sun is the following: “A ruler can bring misfortune upon his troops in three ways: [1] to advance or retreat when they should not, […2] ignorant interference in military decisions, […and 3] ignorant meddling in military appointments” (Art of War).  What I glean from this advice is the following: knowledge is power.  In each of the three instances the ruler, in our case officer, is making a poor decision because they are ignorant of the truth.  In the first, the officer is not up to date on the situation on the ground, sea, or air and makes a poor judgment call that could have been easily avoided had they put time into understanding the situation better.  The second is not taking the time to fully understand and analyze what has been decided before interfering with it, an action that could cause chaos and confusion.  The third is encouraging anything but a merit-based system of advancement.  Those in power should not be there because you like them, they should be there because they have proven time and time again that they are the most qualified for the job, because they have proven to have the necessary experience, insight, and most importantly, knowledge to perform the job well.  As an officer, one’s first task should then be to learn—listen and learn as much as you can and this can be achieved through many different means.

One such means is by studying the past.  Though Sun Tzu may have lived in a different era, there can be no question that he was a great military leader and strategist.  He took the time to compile what he had learned so that we, the future officers of the navy, could learn from him without committing the same mistakes he did.

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