It seems as though every country and even person has a different approach to war and tactics. Every individual holds an opinion on what works best for war in terms of succeeding. One man with an unusual perspective on was Sun-Tzu. Sun-Tzu was a Chinese general around 500 B.C.E. His ideas regarding military strategy were different because he also incorporated philosophical thinking, specifically Taoist principles. Taoism promotes a way of life that emphasizes natural being and interpersonal development and relationships – followers support harmony and virtue. At face value, this does not seem to work well with any aspect of war, an event that is disruptive and destructive.
In a situation that is at its very core destructive, Sun-Tzu’s interesting approach on doing the best to maintain harmony and balance seemed counter-intuitive. However, Sun-Tzu looked at war as a means for peace. He refused to “consider war a sport” (Ancient) and instead focused on the nation being in “peace or in peril” (The Art of War, 2.20) as the result of the campaigns. This is especially seen in the beginning of his writings where he describes the preliminary plans for war.
In addition to writing specific ideas for approaching war, Sun-Tzu also covers larger ideas represented in the Taoist philosophies. He mentions yin and yang and the harmony between counteracting forces. Every action should be natural and create balance in the world. Sun-Tzu’s works demonstrate an ability to work in a rather unnatural environment.
The environment at the Naval Academy is definitely unnatural. Since the beginning, midshipmen are taught stoicism, this goes against natural ways where you have to go out of your way to hide emotions. In fact, a military bearing is so important that our emotions are often used against us. The thought behind this emphasis is that the enemy will not be able to read what you are thinking and, as a result, not be able to predict future moves. The strict schedule at the academy also creates an unnatural and negative influence on the midshipmen. These young adults stay up late and wake up early for mandatory workouts or events, which ultimately tire them out and limit cognitive functions.
Sun-Tzu’s main goal in war was to defeat the enemy and end the war, instead of prolonging the activities and the conflict. Society approaches war as a game almost, like battleship. It seems as though news of conflict hit headlines and the public is fascinated. Society feeds off of the conflict and destruction, which is very much against Taoism.
Overall, a mixture of the two perspectives would be most effective. Military leaders should handle war as a means for peace. I agree that stoicism in the face of the enemy is an important factor in success because the enemy should not know our weaknesses or strengths. A blend of Taoism and modern approaches would definitely create an intriguing attitude towards military conflict, probably one that has not been seen before. Just as Sun-Tzu paved the way for different ideologies, every leader will have his or her own approach to techniques and tactics for war.
Corinne DeSpain
Word count: 513
The West in the Pre-Modern World 