Strategic avoidance and target selection reduce attrition: march where the enemy is not, attack only the undefended, and hold only unassailable positions to ensure success and safety.
By Sun Tzu, from L'Art de la guerre
Key Arguments
- Operating through areas without enemy presence prevents distress on long marches.
- Selective offense against undefended points guarantees success.
- Selective defense holding only unattackable positions ensures safety.
Source Quotes
6. An army may march great distances without distress, if it marches through country where the enemy is not. 7.
7. You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. 8.
Key Concepts
- An army may march great distances without distress, if it marches through country where the enemy is not.
- You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked.
Context
vi. Weak Points and Strong (lines 323–404) — economy of force through avoidance and selection