There are five ways of attacking with fire. The first is to burn soldiers; the second, to burn provisions; the third, to burn equipment; the fourth, to burn arsenals; and the fifth, to burn the lines of transportation. To use fire, some medium must be relied upon. Equipment for setting fires must always be at hand. There are suitable times and appropriate days on which to raise fires. “Times” means when the weather is scorching hot; “days” means when the moon is in Sagittarius, Alpharatz, I, or Zhen constellations, for these are days of rising winds.
Now, in fire attacks, one must respond to the changing situation.
When fire breaks out in the enemy’s camp, immediately coordinate your action from without. But if the enemy troops remain calm, bide your time and do not attack at once. When the fire reaches its height, follow up if you can. If you cannot do so, wait. If you can raise fires outside the enemy camp, it is not necessary to wait until they are started inside. Set fires at suitable times. When fires are raised upwind, do not attack from downwind. When the wind blows during the day, it will die down at night. Now, the army must know the five different fire-attack situations and wait for appropriate times.
Those who use fire to assist their attacks can achieve good results; those who use inundations produce a powerful effect. Water can isolate an enemy, but cannot destroy his supplies or equipment as fire can.
Now, to win battles and take your objectives but to fail to consolidate these achievements is ominous and may be described as a waste of time. And, therefore, it is said that enlightened rulers must deliberate upon the plans to go to battle, and good generals carefully execute them. If not in the interests of the state, do not act. If you cannot succeed, do not use troops. If you are not in danger, do not fight a war. A sovereign cannot launch a war because he is enraged, nor can a general fight a war because he is resentful. For while an angered man may again be happy, and a resentful man again be pleased, a state that has perished cannot be restored, nor can the dead be brought back to life. Therefore, the enlightened ruler is prudent and the good general is warned against rash action. Thus, the state is kept secure and the army preserved.
For Further Thought
Sun Tzu makes reference to the justification for battle. Reflect upon recent conflicts you have witnessed or engaged in, and determine whether the justifications were valid.
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