The nine situations

Sun Tzu said: In the operations of war, where there are in the field the nine varieties of situations: Dispersive situation; Facile situation; Contentious situation; Open situation; Situation of Intersection; Deep situation; Difficult situation; Enclosed situation; Dead situation.

Dispersive situation: where each man feels the security of his home territory, the soldiers disperse and it is difficult to marshal them for battle.

Facile situation: where the army has penetrated into hostile territory but not deeply, it can easily retreat.

Contentious situation: where whichever side first occupies it will gain advantage.

Open situation: On this ground, both our forces and the enemy's can maneuver freely.

Situation of Intersection: where many roads meet and the army that arrives first can rally numerous allies.

Deep situation: where the army has penetrated deep into enemy territory with many enemy cities in the rear.

Difficult situation: where the army moves through mountain forests, narrow passes, marshes and defiles, all difficult terrain to traverse.

Enclosed situation: where the entrance is narrow and the exit circuitous, so that a small number of the enemy would suffice to crush a large body of our men.

Dead situation: where a rapid decision in battle means survival, and hesitation means annihilation.

Therefore,

in dispersive situation, do not fight;

in facile situation, do not remain long;

in contentious situation, do not force an attack;

in open situation, do not let your lines of communication be severed;

in situation of intersection, join hands with your allies;

in deep situation, gather in plunder;

in difficult situation, march quickly through it;

in enclosed situation, resort to stratagem;

in dead situation, fight with all your might.

Those ancient masters of warfare who excelled in directing military operations were capable of rendering the vanguard and the rearguard of the enemy incapable of mutual support, large units and small detachments unable to coordinate, elite troops and ordinary soldiers unable to rescue one another, superiors and subordinates unable to rally together, and scattered soldiers unable to regroup, even if they did assemble, their movements would not be unified or orderly.

They would advance when the situation was advantageous and stand still when it was not.

When asked, "How should one deal with an enemy that is numerous and well-arrayed, advancing against us?"

The answer was: "First, seize what the enemy holds most dear and critical, and they will be compelled to act according to our wishes."

In the situations of war, the decisive factor is speed, one should strike at a time when the enemy is unprepared, take routes unforeseen by the adversary, and attacking where they are unguarded.

The general principles for entering enemy territory are as follows:

Deep penetration into enemy territory requires concentration of forces, making it impossible for the enemy's main force to overcome our troops;

Securing provisions by seizing resources in fertile areas ensures ample supply for the entire army;

Maintaining proper rest and not overworking the troops preserves morale and endurance;

Careful planning and measurement are essential when deploying forces, so as to keep our intentions undetectable by the enemy.

When troops are deployed in a desperate situation with no way to retreat, they cannot be annihilated and have nowhere to withdraw. Since the soldiers have no fear of death, they will fight with all their might.

When the soldiers are deeply in danger, they will be fearless; when cornered with no escape, their defense will become firm;

when deep within enemy territory, they are constrained and forced to fight to the death.

Therefore, such an army does not require rest or encouragement to strengthen its vigilance;

it does not need explicit orders to fight with full effort;

it does not require discipline or incentives to support and care for one another; it does not need repeated commands to observe strict discipline.

When superstition is banned and doubts are dispelled, soldiers will face death without fear.

Our soldiers abandon surplus wealth—not because they do not love riches;

they do not fear death—not because they do not cherish life.

When the order for battle is given, those sitting weep tears that soak their clothes,

and those lying down weep until their faces are drenched.

But once placed in a desperate situation with no way out, they become as brave as Zhuang Zhu or Cao Gui.

Therefore, a skilled commander in war can lead his troops like the "Shu Ran."

"Shu Ran" refers to the snake of Changshan.

If you strike its head, its tail will respond and attack; if you strike its tail, its head will also come to bite; if you strike its belly, both head and tail will attack the enemy together.

Someone asked: "Is it possible to command an army as flexibly as the Shu Ran?"

The answer was: "Yes."

Although the people of Wu and Yue detest each other, when they are on the same boat crossing a river and encounter a storm, they help each other as one would help one's own left and right hands

Therefore, relying on tethering horses or burying wheels to stabilize an army is not dependable.

Making an entire army act in unity and bravery like one person is due to proper command and unity between superiors and subordinates;

Enabling both elite troops and regular troops to fully exert their strengths lies in utilizing the principles of battlefield conditions.

Thus, a skilled commander in war can unite the entire army as one person through shared resolve. This is achieved by placing the troops in a situation where there is no alternative but to fight together.

To preside over military affairs, one must remain composed and calm to discern the situation clearly, and maintain fairness and strict discipline to ensure order and stability.

It is essential to obscure the soldiers' perceptions and understanding of the circumstances.

Alter their tasks and shift their objectives, so they have no benchmarks to follow.

Change their encampments and advance in circuitous routes, preventing them from deeply contemplating their situation.

When setting deadlines for subordinates, it should be done in a manner akin to ascending a high place and removing the ladder, ensuring there is no retreat.

When leading the army deep into a feudal state, orders should be issued swiftly, like triggering a crossbow, followed by burning the ships and breaking the cooking utensils to eliminate any possibility of retreat. The soldiers should be driven forward like a herd of sheep, pushed back and forth without knowing their ultimate destination.

Gathering the entire army and placing them in perilous situations to compel them to fight to the death is the essence of presiding over military matters.

The variations in various circumstances, the advantageous conditions for different types of attacks and defenses, and the psychological states of soldiers in various situations are all aspects that must be thoroughly examined and studied.

The general principle for conducting operations deep within enemy territory is that when entering deeply, troops should be concentrated, and when entering shallowly, they should be dispersed.

When crossing one's own borders and entering enemy territory, if supplies are cut off, it is referred to as a "desperate situation";

if it is a place of four-way traffic, it is called a "situation of intersection";

if one enters deeply into enemy territory, it is termed a "deep situation";

if one enters shallowly into enemy territory, it is known as a "facile situation";

if the rear is heavily guarded and the front is narrow and impassable, it is called an "enclosed situation";

if there is no way out, it is referred to as a "dead situation."

Therefore,

in dispersive situation, our commander should unify the objectives of the army;

in facile situation, our commander should ensure the troops are connected;

in contentious situation, our commander should quickly follow up with reinforcements;

in open situation, our commander should carefully defend;

in situation of intersection, our commander should strengthen alliances with neighboring states;

in deep situation, our commander should ensure a continuous supply of food for the army;

in difficult situation, our commander should pass through quickly;

in enclosed situation, our commander should block any breaches;

in dead situation, our commander should demonstrate the determination to fight to the death.

Therefore, the situation in war: being surrounded will resist, being forced will fight, making mistakes and being in danger will obey orders.

Thus, not understanding the schemes of various feudal lords, one cannot engage in early confrontations or alliances;

Not familiar with mountain forests, dangerous terrains, marshes, and other topographical conditions, one cannot conduct military operations;

Not using locals as guides, one cannot gain the advantage of the terrain.

If one is unaware of any of these four or five aspects, they cannot be considered a military force capable of contending for hegemony.

A military force capable of contending for hegemony, when attacking a major state, can prevent its people from being mobilized and gathered in time;

The awe-inspiring power can deter the enemy, preventing their gathered forces from acting in concert.

Therefore, there is no need to compete for alliances with feudal lords across the world, nor to cultivate one's own influence in various states. Just by earnestly implementing one's strategic intentions and imposing awe on the enemy, one can capture their cities and destroy their nations.

Implement extraordinary rewards and issue unconventional orders, commanding the entire army as if using a single individual.

Only assign tasks to the soldiers without explaining the intentions behind them;

Only inform the soldiers of the favorable aspects without revealing the potential dangers.

Throw soldiers into a situation of death, and they will survive;

throw them into a situation of extinction, and they will endure.

When soldiers are in a perilous situation, they will fight desperately and strive for victory.

Therefore, the affairs of commanding a war involve pretending to follow the enemy's intentions, and once there is an opportunity, concentrating the forces to strike at one point of the enemy, driving a thousand miles to capture the enemy general.

This is what is meant by skillfully using troops to achieve great things.

Therefore, when deciding to wage war, one must seal the borders, abolish passport and travel permits, cease diplomatic intercourse with enemy envoys,

and engage in repeated deliberations within the strategy meeting to meticulously plan the campaign.

Once an opportunity is detected in the enemy's defenses, it must be swiftly exploited.

The first priority is to seize the most cherished and critical points of the enemy, without revealing the specific timing.

The execution of plans must continuously adapt to changes in enemy conditions to bring the war to a conclusion.

Thus, at the outset of the conflict, one should remain as quiet and reserved as a maiden, lulling the enemy into a false sense of security,

and once the battle unfolds, act with the swiftness of a released rabbit, leaving the enemy unable to resist.