Suchergebnisse

Conscious study of the problems of motivating men for combat and ensuring their effective performance on the battlefield has a long history in China. The earliest writings, both philosophical and military, framed the issue in terms of courage and a psycho-physical entity known as qi, pondering the latter's nature as well as the means for stimulating and controlling it. Contemporary PRC military science continues to regard "combat spirit" as a core determinant of battlefield performance and one of the means for overcoming technologically and materially superior enemies. Recent years have therefore seen numerous focal articles on the psychology of combat spirit which meld Marxist and modern behavioral insights with traditional Chinese theoretical perceptions, resulting in a new pseudo-science of combat motivation.

A description of the awesome army commanded by Sun Pin, a direct descendent of the legendary Sun Tzu. This translation comments on Sun Pin's life and times. It analyzes in detail Sun Pin's tactics in battles, and compares his strategic thinking with that of Sun Tzu.

One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies was compiled in the fifteenth century, during the Ming Dynasty, as a handbook of tactics based on Chinese military classics. Translated into English for the first time, this unique work draws on over two thousand years of experience in warfare to present a distillation of one hundred key strategic principles. Originally prepared as a text for students aspiring to high political positions in Confucian China, One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies is a compendium of Oriental strategies concisely stated and each individually illustrated with a description of battle from Chinese history. These historical examples shed new light on the often enigmatic formulations of the ancient strategists on subjects such as Strategic Power, defence, Vacuity, Spirit, and Victory. Acclaimed translator and Chinese military specialist Ralph Sawyer adds his own thoughtful commentary, deepening the reader's understanding of the intricacies of Chinese strategic thought.