The Shape of War
An extended metaphor is crafted from the comparison of an army to water. Water leaving high ground to saturate the hollows and army follows suit in its willing to move from the strength of protection to attack a weaker enemy. The metaphor final reaches its final destination with the observation:
“The shape of water is indeterminate;
likewise the spirit of war is not fixed.”
“Ground is the handmaid of victory.”
The definition of a handmaid is (disregarding the literal feminine component) any partner or aspect of an operation deemed subservient to the other. This pithy little metaphor is essentially the central lesson to which all the comes before it leads in the chapter titled “Ground.” The chapter commences with a rather questionable division of terrain into six different categories, but the lesson is made clear: wars on won the ground so while she may be a servant, treat her respectfully.
The Attack
Most of the The Art of War is given over to outlining the various situations leading up to or following the actually battle engagement. The tactics of rushing into battle itself are form a little mountain of metaphor. The result is a bit vague on its own, but fortunately the details are filled in elsewhere.
“Let your attack be swift as the wind;
your march calm like the forest; your
occupation devastating as fire.”
The Primacy of Sneakiness
Acting becomes an artistic element in war. The preparation of the blitz must be carefully planned and taken slow so as to make the rapid onslaught all the more powerful and unexpected. The key appears to be cautious flirtation while always ever-ready to run the other way:
“At first behave with the discretion of a
maiden; then, when the enemy gives an
opening, dart in like a rabbit.”
How to Crush Your Enemy...or an Egg
Turns out the key to winning in war is not that complicated in the big picture perspective. The details lend it complexity, but the larger frame of reference is as simple as getting Humpty Dumpty off that wall. Just trick him into looking the other way, give him a push and follow with a heavy weight:
“The enemy is crushed, like the fall of a
grindstone upon an egg, by knowledge of
his strength and weakness, and by the
employment of truth and artifice.”
