The Art of War

Yangyang (Leon) Li

Professor Bagdan

Hosp 4060

Feb.4 2013

I. Author’s Purpose

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise by Sun Tzu. It focuses on the importance of positioning in military strategy and factors that may affect the decision. The purpose of Sun Tzu is to tell how to position in military strategy in order to win the battles.

II. Reaction

1) Chapter 5 Energy

Sun Tzu said: The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers. Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals. 

Reaction: The principle of controlling a large force is the same as that of controlling a few men. My first paid "job" is as a teaching assistant in hotel banquet department in Radission. After working for more than a year, I understand the principle for me to manage interns is the same as the way my managers command me. It's all based on principles and execution. Regardless the amount of people you need to control or manage, you only need to set rules and principles and to build a hierarchy where subordinate officers in command of each will execute the principles. The scale of the hierarchy is based on the total amount of people need to execute rules and principles.

2) Chapter 8 Variation in Tactics

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable. 

Reaction: It has been said that "success always comes when preparation meets opportunity." Therefore, we need to be well prepared, or we can't even succeed when we are facing the opportunity. Be prepared, even if there might be a chance that your history professor will give a pop quiz. Most of us now don't even prepare for exams that are...