On the March

Even though Sun Tzu wrote "The Art of War" when wars were still fought by sending enormous forces clashing against each other in an open field, his principles still apply to modern combat in an urban environment. We still much prefer fighting from the high ground to fighting from low ground and usually prefer daytime to night. However, due to a technological advantage, conducting operations at night can oftentimes offer a distinct advantage. He also discusses how paying attention to the terrain and the environment can tell you a lot about what is waiting for you.

Sun Tzu also classifies terrain in a very similar way to our Unrestricted, Restricted, and Severely Restricted. He gives examples of what the leaders should do when they encounter each type of terrain. He then goes on to discuss the different levels of readiness at which an army can be. For example, they can have weak officers and strong soldiers, strong officers but weak soldiers, insubordinate officers, etc. Lastly, he stresses the importance of knowing the status and readiness of both your soldiers and the enemy before conducting an operation

The chapter entitled "Nine Terrains" is pretty similar in content to the first part of the "Terrain" chapter. It continues to discuss how knowledge of the terrain is crucial and a leader's actions are dependent on the terrain.

"Weak Points and Strong" through "Variations in Tactics"

In the chapter "Weak Points and Strong," Sun Tzu discusses the idea of selecting your targets carefully in an engagement. You should attack the enemy where he can not adequately defend. He tells us to "probe them to know where they have an excess, where a deficiency." This is similar to the use of a leader's recon or some other form of reconnaissance to determine the best place and time for an operation before the operation even takes place.

"Maneuvering" is defined as a movement or series of movement requiring great skill or care. Sun Tzu discusses the best ways to maneuver troops and avoid exhaustion or putting yourself at a disadvantage. He stresses the importance of having plenty of knowledge of the plan and the terrain prior to movement (whenever possible). "Someone unfamiliar with the mountains and forests... cannot advance the army." He also tells us not to move too fast. If all of your men are exhausted by the time they reach the battlefield, they are not going to be very combat effective.

"Variations in Tactics" talks about how tactics change on a situational basis. Sun Tzu says "... the wise must contemplate the intermixture of gain and loss. If they can discern advantage, their efforts can be trusted..." When leading troops, we need to pick our battles, their are times when attacking an opposing force is a bad idea and will result in nothing more than unnecessary casualties. We need to make good decisions as leaders in order to successfully complete missions and keep our soldiers alive.

Tactical Disposition and Energy

The chapter entitled "Tactical Disposition" deals loosely with the elements of modern offensive and defensive operations. Sun Tzu talks about the importance of gaining key terrain and being able to properly prepare for combat operations (offensive or defensive). He says: "The one who excels at warfare first establishes himself in a position where he cannot be defeated while not losing an opportunity to defeat the enemy."

Chapter 5, "Energy," talks about the requirements for successful soldiers on the battlefield. Sun Tzu states that one "engages with the orthodox and gains victory with the unorthodox." A soldier, especially an officer, must be able to think outside the box and use available resources to his advantage. Doing cookie-cutter STX lanes is great for developing basic tactical knowledge, but an efficient leader must also be able to respond well to variables and unexpected events. This also ties in with another point Sun Tzu makes. He says: "Intermixed and turbulent, the fighting appears chaotic, but they cannot be made disordered." This means that an effective soldier must remain calm in the chaos of combat and they will be able to make good decisions. He sums up this chapter by saying: "The one who excels at warfare seeks victory through the strategic configuration of power, not from reliance on men."

Attack by Strategem

In this chapter, Sun Tzu discusses the priorities an army should follow when at war. He ways you should first attack the enemy's plans, then their alliances, then their armies, then their cities. These priorities are still used to some extent today. Attacking an enemy's plans requires good reconnaissance and knowledge of your enemy, but if you have that, you can defeat him without ever firing a shot. Turning an enemy against his beliefs can have the same effect. This is especially important if your enemy has an advantage of any kind (numbers, terrain knowledge, etc.).

The most widely known phrase from The Art of War is in this chapter. It reads: "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." Perhaps the single biggest effort we are making in the Middle East is to connect with the locals. This allows us to get to know their culture and customs. By knowing and talking to the locals, we gain a better understanding of the enemy. By knowing our enemy, we are able to more effectively defeat him.

On War

In this chapter, Sun Tzu talks about the general rules one should follow when waging war. On of his main points deals with the length of campaigns. He states: "When employing them in battle, a victory that is long and coming will blunt their weapons and dampen their ardor." He is saying that the most practical way to win an engagement is to do it as quickly as possible. When it comes to the conflicts in the Middle East, we seem to have been ignoring this advice. It has been 8 years since the campaign in the Middle East began. At first, it had the support of the public and of the troops. However, the longer it drags on, the fewer people support it.

Sun Tzu also talks in this chapter of winning the hearts of the enemy. he says: "Treat the captured soldiers well in order to nurture them for our use." This mostly applies to our treatment of Iraqi and Afghani civilians. We have been bringing them aid and helping them to rebuild their villages and cities in an attempt to get them to swing their allegiances from the Taliban and al-Qaeda to us.

Laying of Plans

Sun Tzu introduces us to the 5 factors that affect the outcome of a battle. They are: "The Tao," Heaven, Earth, generals, and laws.

1) The Tao (Loyalty)- This is the willingness of the soldiers to follow their leader. This is based on his leadership ability, inspiration, and the soldiers' belief in what they are fighting for.

2) Heaven (Weather)- The weather conditions need to be taken into account when formulating a plan. Certain ares may be impassable or disadvantageous dependent on the weather conditions.

3) Earth (Terrain)- When formulating a plan, the terrain needs to be analyzed. Key terrain (high ground, bridges, etc.) must be located and factored into a battle plan.

4) Generals (Leadership)- A plan is going to be dependent on a leader's ability to carry out the plan. If a leader is not capable of something, that particular plan will not work.

5) Laws (Regulations)- When making a plan, certain regulations must be taken into account. These include things such as as the Chain of Command, ROE, etc.

Aftermath

I just found this last post in my Draft Folder

"We Were Soldiers Once and Young" highlighted the accomplishments of several great leaders and the effects they had on the men with whom they served.

One such leader was Hal Moore. He was tasked to lead men in a completely new type of warfare. He trained his men physically and mentally to make up for lack of experience. The amount of training paid off as soon as the feces hit the fan at Ia Drang. Every man knew the duties of the men above and below him. This allowed a quick transfer of control should someone get hit. Moore also had a "lead from the front" mentality that kept his men motivated. He was the first one off the chopper and the last one back on when the battle was over. When they first landed at Ia Drang, he was on line with his men while simultaneously ordering his men into position.

Another outstanding leader that is not as well known is Bruce Crandall. He and fellow pilot Ed Freeman led repeated flights into hot LZs to keep the men on the ground in fighting condition. He flew an unarmed helicopter for 31 hours straight and rescued over 70 wounded comrades and brought ammo to the men on the ground. For his bravery he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Lieutenant Rick Rescorla was another shining example of a good leader. He was a very optimistic person and his attitude caused others to be optimistic as well. He instilled in his men a confidence that they would survive the battle. He also led his men from the front. They were willing to follow him because he was very influential and willing to do everything he expected his men to do.