Искусство войны. Уровень 2 / The Art of War

You may retire and be safe from pursuit if your movements are more rapid than those of the enemy.

11.В If we want to fight we can force the enemy to engage in fighting even if he is in his hidey-hole. All we need to do is attack some other place that he will be forced to defend.

12. If we don’t want to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our camping are merely traced out on the ground. All we need to do is to throw something odd and unexpected in his way.

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14. We can form a single united body, while the enemy must split up into parts. Thus we will be many to the enemy’s few.

15.В And if we are able thus to attack an inferior force with a superior one, our opponents will be in major trouble.

16. The spot where we intend to fight must be hidden. Thus the enemy won’t be able to prepare against a possible attack at several different points; his forces will be spread in many directions, and at any given point we will face the numbers that are proportionately small.

17.В For if the enemy increases his forces at the front, he weakens his back; if he increases his forces at his left, he will weaken his right; if he increases his forces at his right, he will weaken his left. f he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.

18.В Numerical weakness comes from having to prepare against possible attacks; numerical strength, from making our enemy to make these preparations against us.

19.В Knowing the place and the time of the coming battle, we may concentrate from the greatest distances in order to fight.

20. But if neither time nor place is known, then the left wing won’t be able to help the right, the right won’t be able to help the left, the front unable to relieve the back, or the back to support the front. How much more so if the furthest portions of the army are anything under a hundred li[7 - li – ли, китайская единица измерения расстояния, равная пятистам метрам.

21.В Though according to my estimate the soldiers of YГјeh exceed your own in number, that will not help them in the matter of victory. I say then that victory can be achieved.

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