When we examine the military strategies of ancient empires, we so often look at what failed. We want to know what went wrong, so that we do not repeat the same mistakes. We rarely stop to consider what went right, because more often than not, we have incorporated successful innovations into our daily lives without even realizing where they come from. That is why when I looked at Sun Tzu’s Art of War, I expected it to be outdated, and full of differences between what is taught at the Naval Academy. I was vastly wrong.
One of Sun Tzu’s over-arching points is that knowledge wins wars, and the importance of being prepared, as he says, “To be prepared beforehand for any contingency is the greatest of virtues”. When I think back to plebe summer, when we were indoctrinated into USNA, I think of my detailers screaming out what training day it was, and telling us that we had better be ready for the fleet in four years. From the very beginning of our time at the Naval Academy, we are taught to be prepared. During the academic year, and during the summers, we are exposed to countless opportunities that are meant to give us knowledge on the world that we are expected to be leaders in. This philosophy of knowing as much as possible to prepare oneself is what we are taught at the Naval Academy—I know for me, I chose the Naval Academy over a ROTC scholarship at a civilian school, because I knew that if I wanted to become a Naval Officer, then I would want to prepare myself for this role as much as possible. Yet, this simple philosophy is age-old, and proven to be effective as seen by all who have employed Sun Tzu’s strategy.
Sun Tzu also offered a philosophy on leadership that I think mirrors the type of leaders that the Naval Academy hopes to develop. He says that “When one treats people with benevolence, justice and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders.” At the Naval Academy, we are given leadership positions that are meant to build up confidence, such as the position of a squad leader. Whether they play a positive or negative role on a midshipman’s view on leadership, there is no denying that their influence shapes the members of their squad’s viewpoints.
Ideally, I think that the philosophy of preparation and learning that both Sun Tzu and the Naval Academy preaches is pretty effective. It, of course, depends on the person too, and how much they are willing to be open to learning from the experience. Take, for example, our youngster cruises: there were plenty of opportunities to learn about what to expect in the fleet, but there were also plenty of opportunities to take very long naps. It all depends on creating the type of culture that fosters a mindset that encourages wanting to be prepared and to learn more. Take, for example, the Forrestal Lectures that are given frequently at the Naval Academy. During Plebe Summer, my detailers would tell us about how they were wastes of time and that they would sometimes bring a book, or schoolwork, so that they would not “waste” time during the lecture. However, if you have the attitude that at least you are going to learn from these lectures, they can actually be kind of interesting.

If there was a word to describe Sun Tzu, solely from his writings in The Art of War, it is tactician. Meaning “a person who uses a carefully planned strategy to achieve a specific end” (www.dictionary.com). This philosophy is evident as he preaches hand to hand combat as a last resort, maintaining that “ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting (The Art of War 15). This is an extremely effective way to overcome an enemy for when done correctly, is done without any loss of life.  Using The Art of War as a template for what a commander should strive for, there are many similarities that the Naval Academy employs, and a few differences.

Keeping with the overarching theme of winning a battle before fighting, Tzu proclaims that “War is… a matter to be pondered carefully” and that “Victory belongs to the side that scores the most in the temple calculations before the battle” (The Art of War 3-8). Every midshipmen at the Academy forgoes a leadership curriculum designed to stimulate thought on the right vs. wrong in war, and highlights the qualities of a great leader. The course also includes extensive personal reflection of past experiences to promote self-improvement, which aligns perfectly with the teachings of Sun Tzu as he writes: “The general is the prop of the nation. When the prop is solid, the nation is strong. When the prop is flawed, the nation is weak” (The Art of War 17).

Lastly, Sun Tzu proclaims that before attacking in hand-to-hand combat, a commander should attack his enemy’s alliances. In keeping with this statement he states: “Without knowing the plans of the feudal lords, you cannot form alliances” (The Art of War 41). For this very reason, that each midshipmen is educated in the ways of their own government, as well as the history of other nations’ governments. This provides insight to the modern day conflicts that the United States is involved in, and allows more informed decision-making to be made.

If Sun Tzu were here today he would not agree with the praised stories of the Naval Academy. Sun Tzu taught: “In war, with forces ten to the enemy’s one, surround him; with five, attack him; with two, split in half. If equally matched, fight it out; if fewer in number, lie low; if weaker, escape” (The Art of War 16). This conflicts with the celebrated stories of the Naval Academy, The Battle of Thermopylae being one example. The story of a few thousand soldiers rising to fight an army numbering in the hundreds of thousands does not comply with the teachings of The Art of War. Especially when the author teaches that physical conflict is a last resort. The story of the Greeks standing up to the Persians is revered in the Academy however, even residing on the Superintendent’s books-to-read list. All in all The Art of War remains one of the most studied books in history, not only for military purposes, and is followed by many great institutions like the Naval Academy. Its doctrine of skillfully overcoming an enemy has saved many lives.

Sun Tzu’s The Art of War is one of the most influential books on war ever written. As a Chinese military commander, strategist, and philosopher, Sun Tzu wrote 13 chapters on every aspect of warfare. This has defined the way humans fought conflicts for hundreds of years. The overarching philosophy of The Art of War is understanding the different aspects of war. However, the teachings of Sun Tzu are not intended for the average soldier to understand.

They are intended for the general or the leader to employ. As military leaders, an officer’s job is to understand their troops and the enemy, a major concept of Sun Tzu’s teachings. Although the tactical aspects of war may seem outdated, the strategic teachings of Sun Tzu are still implemented today by militaries all over the world. At the United States Naval Academy, Midshipmen are molded to become future officers using many of Sun Tzu’s warfare concepts. In order to become more effective military leaders, Midshipmen should continue to apply and understand Sun Tzu’s strategic teachings.

At the United States Naval Academy, Sun Tzu’s holistic philosophy of understanding war becomes ingrained into Midshipmen’s brains starting on day one. As reflected within USNA’s mission statement, Sun Tzu’s teachings provide helpful meaning to Mids in all areas of their performance. At the core of his teachings, Sun Tzu argues that leaders must know when to fight and when not to fight. Since war is inherently costly, it is important for great officers to understand when fighting has a justifiable outcome and when it does not. This takes years of developing personal discipline. At the USNA, the honor concept helps Midshipmen understand the difference between ethical and unethical decisions. It teaches Midshipmen that lying, cheating, or stealing to gain an advantage over another is not the correct way to win. If an officer ever compromises his own integrity or the integrity of his troops to win a battle, it should be considered just as grave as a loss. The honor concept helps Midshipmen to gain the self-discipline and develop good habits that will one day help them to decide whether to fight or not.

Another crucial aspect of war that Sun Tzu argues is for leaders to know the enemy and their own troops. As a leader, understanding your troops’ capabilities and caring for what is best for them is important. Within the Brigade, many Midshipmen leadership positions involve leading peers. This teaches Midshipmen that sometimes, as a leader, the right decision is not always the most favorable one. Sun Tzu states that the most effective leaders understand the importance of leading by example. To gain respect from peers and comrades, it is necessary to lead by example, and not by force. If an officer lives by his word, even if unfavorable by many, his comrades will better follow and respect what he has to say. As a Midshipman, it is necessary to lead by example so that your peers will better respect you when a though decision comes up.

Although written nearly 2500 years ago, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War is still implemented in many different aspects of the world. As a Midshipmen, understanding and implementing the teachings of Sun Tzu in the leadership development process will help us to become more effective and useful leaders.

By: Melissa Cortese

Word Count: 555

MIDN 3/C Ionatan A. Soule

Sun Tzu’s Art of war has been studied for centuries.  Even though the context in which he wrote might be outdated, much of his advice through a little abstraction is still incredibly applicable to modern times, especially modern warfare.  Here at the Academy, the goal is to produce capable and competent military leaders who will win decisive battles when the time comes.  In order to be able to do this, they must be exceptionally well versed in decision making and strategic analysis.  All of these components are mentioned and covered by Master Sun.  Certain aspects between his doctrine and what is taught at the Naval Academy is remarkably similar and this is no coincidence.  Master Sun’s overarching philosophy is one of knowledge and preparation and is very similar to what is taught at the Naval Academy.  I think that a proper mixture of both is best as a military leader.

Sun Tzu first stipulates that war is, “A matter to be pondered carefully” (1).  This could not be truer and is one of the reasons that officers in the US military must have a college degree and that the Academy exists.  He then identifies five areas with which officers should be familiar: 1) the Way, 2) the Heaven, 3) the Earth, 4) Command and 5) Discipline.  The Way, “Causes men to be of one mind with their rulers, to live or die with them, and never to waver” (1-2).  Translated to modern English this simply means unit cohesion—an integral component of Academy education.  Unity and the bonds that are formed are taught as the foundation upon which militaries are built and can be as small as a two-man sniper team or the classic four-man fire team.  Sun Tzu’s concept of the Heaven, which includes Ying and Yang does not directly translate into anything taught here.  The closest thing I can think of is the need for proper balance in all aspects of warfare to achieve the optimum result.  The aspect covered by Earth is taught here extensively because it encompasses all physical aspects of the battlefield: “Height and depth, distance and proximity, ease and danger, open and confined ground, life and death” (2).  The final two, Command and Discipline, are incredibly important here at the academy. “Wisdom, integrity, compassion, courage, severity” (2) and “Organization, chain of command, control of expenditure” (2) are heavily stressed here at the Academy in classes such as ethics, leadership, and law.  On top of this, these are principle tenants of every single training we conduct.

Because of all this, I would argue that there is a clear similarity between Sun Tzu’s overarching message and what is taught here at the Academy.  One difference I did find was Sun Tzu’s principle that, “If [the enemy is] strong, avoid him” (2).  For the most part, the Academy teaches this.  But it is also a habit in our military to honor those who have the courage to charge an enemy position when death is certain, an action against Sun Tzu’s teachings.

Regardless, I believe that both are still incredibly similar. If I had to choose which is more effective, I would choose the Academy’s simply because it has proven its effectiveness in our modern time.

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