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- Funny Aneurysm Moment: The book was originally written for Helu, the ruler of the Kingdom of Wu. About fifty or so years after Sun Tzu's death, Wu was completely destroyed and absorbed by the Kingdom of Yue.
- Given how many nations and/or businessmen have succeeded by taking Sun's advice, perhaps Helu simply didn't get around to studying it.
- Or maybe he did, but his son, King Fuchai, didn't.
- IIRC Wu was quite successful military-wise under Helu and Fuchai's early years. And then Fuchai started expeditions northwards for hegemony (and won it) which lead to the kingdom's downfall.
- Given how many nations and/or businessmen have succeeded by taking Sun's advice, perhaps Helu simply didn't get around to studying it.
- Magnificent Bastard: This is a goal to which all generals should aspire. As the book notes:
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"To win a hundred battles is not of the supreme excellence. To subdue one's enemy without fighting is the acme of skill." |
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- Values Dissonance: Today, some of the tactics he advocates would be considered war crimes at worst and state-funded terrorism at best. See also Trying to Catch Me Fighting Dirty. Examples include pretending to set up truce talks to lure enemies into a trap and attacking the enemy without declaring war.