Art of War 12

The Art of War By Sun Tzu Translated by Lionel Giles

XII. The Attack by Fire

• 1. Sun Tzu said: There are five ways of attacking with fire. The first is to burn soldiers in their camp; the second is to burn stores; the third is to burn baggage trains; the fourth is to burn arsenals
• and magazines; the fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the enemy.
• 2. In order to carry out an attack, we must have means available. The material for raising fire should always be kept in readiness.
• 3. There is a proper season for making attacks with fire, and special days for starting a conflagration.
• 4. The proper season is when the weather is very dry; the special days are those when the moon is in the constellations of the Sieve, the Wall, the Wing or the Cross-bar; for these four are all days of rising wind.
• 5. In attacking with fire, one should be prepared to meet five possible developments:
• 6. (1) When fire breaks out inside to enemy's camp, respond at once with an attack from without.
• 7. (2) If there is an outbreak of fire, but the enemy's soldiers remain quiet, bide your time and do not attack.
• 8. (3) When the force of the flames has reached its height, follow it up with an attack, if that is practicable; if not, stay where you are.
• 9. (4) If it is possible to make an assault with fire from without, do not wait for it to break out within, but deliver your attack at a favorable moment.
• 10. (5) When you start a fire, be to windward of it. Do not attack from the leeward.
• 11. A wind that rises in the daytime lasts long, but a night breeze soon falls.
• 12. In every army, the five developments connected with fire must be known, the movements of the stars calculated, and a watch kept for the proper days.
• 13. Hence those who use fire as an aid to the attack show intelligence; those who use water as an aid to the attack gain an accession of strength.
• 14. By means of water, an enemy may be intercepted, but not robbed of all his belongings.
• 15. Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise; for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.
• 16. Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources.
• 17. Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.
• 18. No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.
• 19. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are.
• 20. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content.
• 21. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.
• 22. Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution. This is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact.

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