Originally posted by apathistOk since I derailed the thread here some more on topic thoughts (I hope):
Sun Tzu said that "All warfare is based on deception." I'm like, no, it's based on power.
I looked up the etymology of the word "war", and it is derived to mean "to confuse, perplex"! So I read more about Sun Tzu's Art of War, and I'm convinced: I was wrong, yet again.
* All war is deception
# When I visited a course on negotiation some years back one things stuck deep in my mind: "Information is never complete and seldom true". This I think is in the same line. Of course in war a commander is well advised to attack only when he is sure to accomplish his aims. In WWI this simple rule was not followed when thousand where thrown at the enemys trenches just to be mowev down by machine gun fire).
However if a commander would know the truth he would always take the right decision (attack, defend, wait, give up,...)In fact he doesn't know. He knows a few things, the higher up the less detailed. He assumes a few things (probably more about the enemy than about his own troops and positions) and he is completely blank on other facts. If he is a good commander he will keep his adversary in the dark about his own moves and plans.
# The fight man against man in war is also much about personal skill and quality of gear. A very courageous master of the sword with a bronze sword, hungry and cold will probably lose to a good well fed and clothed swordsman with an iron weapon....
war is about deception and rations and weapons and fighters.
Originally posted by Ponderable"In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies."
Ok since I derailed the thread here some more on topic thoughts (I hope):
* All war is deception
# When I visited a course on negotiation some years back one things stuck deep in my mind: "Information is never complete and seldom true". This I think is in the same line. Of course in war a commander is well advised to attack only when he is sure to a ...[text shortened]... dsman with an iron weapon....
war is about deception and rations and weapons and fighters.
-- Churchill
I saw this recently at the US military cemetery museum in Normandy.
