Militaries throughout time have relied upon various styles of planning, training and rules. A truly outstanding strategy and set of values will be instilled in each man and woman in uniform and carried forward beyond their time of service to better impact the world. Sun Tzu of ancient China attempted to fulfill this by writing “The Art of War,” which is a meditation on the rules of war and military strategy. Similarly today, USNA and the Navy attempt to achieve victory on the battlefield and in society through specific codes and values. Due to its broader application to all military members, the strategy of USNA provides a more effective foundation for military members.

Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” largely focuses on the importance of planning and decision-making on the battlefield. Throughout his work, he emphasizes the importance of strategizing before the actual battle, as war “is to be pondered carefully … [this is] the difference between survival and extinction” (2). Tzu centralizes his writing on “Five Fundamentals” of war: the Way, Heaven, Earth, command, and discipline. By fully grasping and internalizing these fundamentals, Tzu states that you will win; failure to grasp them will mean defeat. According to Tzu, victory or defeat largely rests on the leader. The general is in charge of knowing the Way, being on the side of Heaven and Earth, and instilling command and discipline. Strategizing and decision-making will ultimately be up to the person in charge, and soldiers are meant to follow their every word. Tzu’s final major argument is about capitalizing on your strengths and the enemy’s weaknesses, as he states that “if you know self, not the enemy, you will suffer defeat” (1).

USNA’s strategy has a similar set of goals and planning to that of Tzu. Close to the “Five Fundamentals,” USNA focuses on three core values of honor, courage and commitment. These values are supposed to be prevalent not only in our military careers, but in our personal relationships as well. It is the responsibility of each Navy enlisted and officer to “have an uncompromising code of integrity” and to “join together as a team to improve the quality of our work, our people, and ourselves” (1). Also similar to “The Art of War,” USNA emphasizes that war should not be taken lightly, as we remember our fallen brothers and sisters in uniform. One difference from Tzu’s strategy is while we are told that strategizing and planning is valuable, we are taught that it ultimately comes down to performance on the spot under stress. Additionally, the Navy’s set of values is more applicable to the entire chain of command, rather than just the general in charge. Every sailor and officer will be in charge of decision-making and authority should be questioned if there is a moral or legal violation.

It is clear that both techniques described by Tzu and USNA are successful. Tzu’s military philosophy has persisted through centuries and can be applied beyond battle to business, sports, and public-speaking skills. USNA’s strategy has similar success, as the US Navy has consistently been victorious on the battlefield and USNA has graduated some of the most impactful citizens in the US. While a blend of both techniques would be best, the Naval Academy’s strategy reigns supreme over Tzu’s “The Art of War”. The Navy’s set of values can be better applied to both followers and leaders, rather than the focus on solely generals in Tzu’s piece. Followers were only mentioned in Tzu’s piece to denote discipline and obedience, while USNA blends those aspects with active followership and taking responsibility throughout the chain of command.

Lauren McDonnell

Word Count: 600

Sources:

1. “Annual Ethics Training,” Department of the Navy. Accessed 20 March 2019.
2. Sun-tzu, “The Art of War.” Trans. John Minford. London: Penguin, 2009.

War is a constantly changing force. From sticks and stones, to bows and arrows, to bombs and missiles, man has continually pushed the limits of technology and innovation in order to devise the most efficient and deadly battle machine possible. As the tools of war advance, what of its philosophy? Its inherent rules and foundations? Since man has waged war, nothing has changed in these regards. What Sun Tzu speaks of regarding war in his work The Art of War still rings true in our world, and is still taught to the warriors of today; especially in a place such as the Naval Academy.

            Sun Tzu’s work is filled with messages of how to win in battle and dominate your enemies; but this is not his sole focus. He speaks of leadership and using adversaries own strengths and weaknesses against them: “the soldier’s spirit is keenest in the morning; by noon it has dulled…The skillful warrior avoids the keen spirit, attacks the dull.”[1] He discusses the definition of war, splitting it into “Five Fundamentals… The Way, Heaven, Earth, Command, [and] Discipline,” and even states that “The Skillful Strategist defeats the enemy without doing battle.”[2] In all, Sun Tzu’s work is a doctrine of how to run, maintain, and efficiently utilize a military force to achieve a means with as little loss and little effort as possible. He believed that the smarter and more capable the leader, as long as they know his ideals, will be victorious with the least effort possible. He exemplifies the teaching of “the easiest way to achieve a specific goal,” while still retaining a solid and respectable stance among both those who you are leading and those who lead you.[3]

            Since coming to the Naval Academy, I have seen that Sun Tzu’s teachings are inherent aspects of military learning. Excluding the topics of tactics and direct military strategy, which I have yet to truly experience or see put fully into effect, particulars such as the Five Fundamentals are the foundation of true military doctrine; especially for us here, since we will be the leaders that must uphold and represent these traits. These are what I see as the most effective teachings of Sun Tzu, as they for the base that leadership and respect are built off of. The Way is respect gained from those you lead, who will die following you onto any battlefield. Heaven is the changing tide that we must all learn to accept as part of our lives. Earth is the constant changing if the battlefield itself, pitting us either against powerful or nonexistent forces. Command and Discipline, the final two, are the most poignant. They embody what the United States military stands for, and what we are taught here: “wisdom, integrity, compassion, courage, severity… organization, chain of command, [and] control of expenditure.”[4] We are taught to live with integrity, honor, courage, and commitment here at the Academy. Seeing how much of an emphasis Sun Tzu put on these aspects is heartening; we are living by a code tried and tested for hundreds of years.

            Sun Tzu was a master of military knowledge, but also knew the makings of a phenomenal leader. His teachings are the basis of service, and it is apparent that the Naval Academy and beyond has built its culture around Sun Tzu’s ideals. It is exhilarating to be a part of such an ancient and time-honored tradition, and to be taught from the handbook of one of the greatest military leaders of all time.

Cyrus Malek-Madani

Word Count: 595

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[1] Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Chapter 7.

[2] Ibid, Chapter 1.

[3] Clear, James, and James Clear, “Applying Lessons from Sun Tzu and The Art of War to Everyday Life,” Lifehacker. October 10, 2016, Accessed March 07, 2019, https://lifehacker.com/applying-lessons-from-sun-tzu-and-the-art-of-war-to-eve-1787621192.

[4] Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Chapter 1.

When reading Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, several similarities become apparent between his teachings, and what the Naval Academy strives to teach midshipmen. Within the first several stanzas it is easy to see that Sun Tzu values discipline as one of the most crucial aspects of a military leaders. While the Naval Academy does not focus explicitly on this trait, it can be seen very often in the teaching and way of life at the Academy.

In chapter one of The Art of War, Sun Tzu describes his five fundamentals with discipline being listed as the last of the five. According to Sun Tzu, discipline is “Organization/Chain of Command/Control of expenditure” (Art of War 4). Discipline is taught as one of the core principles at the Naval Academy and the importance of discipline is constantly emphasized. This begins over Plebe Summer when plebes are forced to recite several rates discussing discipline and its importance. Discipline is further reinforced at the Academy by the importance of organization. Organization is one of the most underappreciated skills developed at the academy. With the level of work and time management necessary to succeed, organized must be learned, and those who do not develop good organizational habits are bound to fall behind.

The next aspect that Sun Tzu lists as being a part of discipline is Chain of Command. Undoubtedly, proper utilization of the Chain of Command is one of the most emphasized teachings from the Naval Academy. Before even arriving at the academy, students are expected to know a portion of the chain of command from the president down to the Commandant of Midshipmen. After arriving, the chain of command grows and now includes midshipmen in billets appointed over the plebe class. Every semester these billet holders change creating a change in the chain of command. Any official paperwork must be sent through the chain of command, only moving one person at a time, so it is crucial for all midshipmen to know the members of their chain of chain very well.

The final aspect of discipline discussed by Sun Tzu is control of expenditure which is something taught very well at the Naval Academy. Control of expenditure simply means knowing how to be smart with money. At the Naval Academy this is accomplished by making nearly no income during the first year at the school. With only 100 dollars of income every month it can be exceedingly difficult to manage a budget properly. After the first year, students begin making a small amount more, but controlling expenditures remains a valuable skill that is taught every year until graduation.

-Brett Eckert

Word Count: 447

The philosophy laid out by Sun Tzu demands much of a military leader. He claims that the best way to defeat your enemy is to capture them without fighting. It is a peaceful strategy focused on leaving the opponent’s army and nation intact rather than recklessly obliterating them. He describes is as “the method of attacking by stratagem of using the sheathed sword.” Ideally, a general would prevent an enemy’s plans from occurring entirely and at very worst, a general would besiege a city with a lengthy operation. Sun Tzu does, however, describe certain scenarios where it is reasonable to attack the enemy, such as when their army is anything less than five times as large as the enemy’s. When their army is inferior in numbers to that of the enemy, he claims that the enemy’s army must be avoided, and if inferior in every way, they should flee.

At the Naval Academy, we learn in courses such as ethics, the meaning of just war and proportionality. Ideally, we use only enough force as is required to accomplish the mission. Excessive force leads to unnecessary destruction and, potentially, to loss of life. This teaching is in accordance with Sun Tzu’s philosophy. Where our philosophy differs is in the notion of being outnumbered. Whereas Sun Tzu recommends fleeing from the enemy, we are taught to fight against all odds to defeat the enemy. This can be done through superior planning, training, and determination. This actually agrees with Tzu’s statement “he will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.” The Navy, as a whole, takes preparation very seriously, so as not to be outwitted by the enemy.

If the assumption were made that the United States military was actually inferior in every way to the force of one of our enemy’s, I believe our military would show courage and face the enemy against the odds. Such was the case during the Revolutionary War. There are examples in the modern age, however, where it is wise to negotiate with an enemy instead of attacking them, even if U.S. forces appear to be superior. For example, it would be dangerous to attack a country that possesses nuclear weapons. If the entirety of their nuclear arsenal is not destroyed, they could potentially use such a weapon in retaliation. This scenario, called mutually assured destruction, is a limiting factor on how the United States can use its force, and was not a relevant factor during the time of Sun Tzu. Sun Tzu’s statement “he will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight” holds relevant with this case.

Much of what Sun Tzu states in “The Art of War” holds true to what we are taught at the Naval Academy. The one major difference lies in being outnumbered. We are taught to be courageous, striving for tactical superiority, when the odds are against us, yet wise in recognizing when our force could spark worldwide destruction.

Matt Malone

Sources: Sun Tzu’s The Art of War

Word count: 495