Chapter 9 - The Army on the March

https://www.solgood.org - Check our our Streaming Service for our full collection of audiobooks, short stories, & 10 hour sounds for sleep at our website

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Chapter nine, The Army on theMarch. One, Suntu said, we
come now to the question of encampingthe army and observing signs of the enemy.
Pass quickly over mountains and keep inthe neighborhood of valleys. Two camp

(00:24):
in high places facing the sun.Do not climb heights in order to fight.
So much for mountain warfare. Three. After crossing a river, you
should get far away from it.Four. When an invading force crosses a

(00:45):
river in its onward march, donot advance to meet it in midstream.
It will be best to let halfthe army get a cross and then deliver
your attack. Five. If youare anxious to fight, you should not
go to meet the invader near ariver which he has to cross. Six.

(01:11):
More, your craft higher up thanthe enemy, and facing the sun,
do not move upstream to meet theenemy. So much for river warfare.
Seven. In crossing salt marshes,your sole concern should be to get
over them quickly without any delay.Eight. If forced to fight in a

(01:38):
salt marsh, you should have waterand grass near you, and get your
back to a clump of trees.So much for operations in salt marshes.
Nine. In dry level country.Take up an easily accessible position with rising

(02:00):
ground to your right and on yourrear, so that the danger may be
in front and safety lie behind.So much for campaigning in flat country.
Ten. These are the four usefulbranches of military knowledge which enable the Yellow

(02:21):
Emperor to vanquish four several sovereigns.Eleven. All armies prefer high ground too
low, and sunny places too dark. Twelve. If you're careful of your
men and camp on hard ground,the army will be free from disease of

(02:42):
every kind, and this will spellvictory. Thirteen. When you come to
a hill or a bank, occupythe sunny side with the slope on your
right rear. Thus you will atonce act for the benefit of your soldiers
and utilize the natural advantages of theground. Fourteen. When, in consequence

(03:07):
of heavy rains up country, ariver which you wish to ford is swollen
and flecked with foam, you mustwait until it subsides. Fifteen. Country
in which there are precipitous cliffs withtorrents running between deep natural hollows, confined

(03:31):
places, tangled thickets, quadmires,and crevasses should be left with all possible
speed and not approached. Sixteen.While we keep away from such places,
we should get the enemy to approachthem. While we face them, we

(03:54):
should let the enemy have them onhis rear. Seventeen. If in the
neighborhood of your camp there should beany hilly country, ponds surrounded by a
quatic grass, hollow basins filled withreeds, or woods with thick undergrowth,

(04:16):
they must be carefully rooted out andsearched. For these are places when men
in ambush or insidious spies are likelyto be lurking. Eighteen. When the
enemy is close at hand and remainsquiet, he is relying on the natural

(04:36):
strength of his position. Nineteen.When he keeps aloof and tries to provoke
a battle, he is anxious forthe other side to advance. Twenty If
his place of encampment is easy ofaccess, he is tendering a bait.

(04:59):
Twenty One. Movement amongst the treesof a forest shows that the enemy is
advancing. The appearance of a numberof screens in the midst of thick grass
means that the enemy wants to makeus suspicious. Twenty Two. The rising

(05:20):
of birds in the flight is thesign of an ambuscade. Startled beasts indicate
that a sudden attack is coming.Twenty three. When there is dust rising
in the high column, it isthe sign of chariots advancing. When the

(05:45):
dust is low but spread over awide area, it betokens the approach of
infantry. When it branches out indifferent directions, it shows that parties have
been sent to collect fireward. Afew clouds of dust moving to and fro
signify that the army is encamping.Twenty four. Humble words and increased preparations

(06:13):
are signs that the enemy is aboutto advance. Violent language and driving forward
as if to the attack are signsthat he will retreat. Twenty five.
When the light chariots come out firstand take up a position on the wings,
it is a sign that the enemyis forming for battle. Twenty six.

(06:41):
His proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenantindicate a plot. Twenty seven.
When there is much running about andthe soldiers fall into rank, it means
that the critical moment has come.Twenty eight. When some are seen advancing

(07:03):
in some retreating, it is alure. Twenty nine. When the soldiers
stand leaning on their spears, theyare feint from want of food. Thirty
If those who are sent to drawwater begin by drinking themselves. The army

(07:25):
is suffering from thirst. Thirty one. If the enemy sees an advantage to
be gained and makes no effort tosecure it, the soldiers are exhausted.
Thirty two. If birds gather onany spot, it is uncalled unoccupied clamor

(07:47):
by night, betokens nervousness. Thirtythree. If there is disturbance in the
camp, the general's authority is weak. If the banners and flags are shifted
about, sedition is afoot. Ifthe officers are angry, it means that

(08:09):
the men are weary. Thirty four. When an army feeds its horses with
grain and kills its cattle for food, and when the men do not hang
the cooking pots over the camp fires, showing that they will not return to
their tents, you may know thatthey are determined to fight to the death.

(08:33):
Thirty five. The sight of menwhispering together in small knots or speaking
in subdued tones points to disaffection amongstthe rank and file. Thirty six two
Frequent rewards signify that the enemy isat the end of his resources. Too

(08:54):
many punishments betray a condition of diredistress. Thirty seven. To begin by
bluster, but afterwards to take frightat the enemy's numbers shows a supreme lack
of intelligence. Thirty eight. Whenenvoys are sent with compliments in their mouths,

(09:22):
it is a sign that the enemywishes for a truce. Thirty nine.
If the enemy's troops march up angrilyand remain facing ours for a long
time without either joining battle or takingthemselves off again, the situation is one

(09:43):
that demands great vigilance and circumspection.Forty If our troops are no more in
number than the enemy that is amplysufficient, it only means that no direct
attack can be made. What wecan do is simply to concentrate all our

(10:05):
available strength, keep a close watchon the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.
Forty one. He who exercises noforethought the mixed light of his opponents is
sure to be captured by them.Forty two. If soldiers are punished before

(10:26):
they have grown attached to you,they will not prove submissive, and unless
submissive, then will be practically useless. If when the soldiers have become attached
to you, punishments are not enforced, they will still be useless forty three.

(10:48):
Therefore, soldiers must be treated,in the first instance with humanity,
but kept under control by means ofiron discipline. This is a certain road
to victory. Forty four. Ifin training soldiers commands are habitually enforced,

(11:11):
the army will be well disciplined.If not, its discipline will be bad.
Forty five. If a general showsconfidence in his men but always insists
on his orders being obeyed, thegain will be mutual. End of Chapter nine