Art of Deception

 “Strategy is the art of deception.” While this is a famous quote from Sun Tzu, winning a battle is inherently difficult. Fluke victories may happen, but defeat is eventually inevitable.

Sometimes you study strategy and win, and other times you still lose. Strategy is a set of principles; following them simply increases your probability of winning, but adhering to them does not guarantee absolute victory.

Even so, we must first consider whether it is truly best to thoroughly study and apply strategy. The reality is that without learning strategy, you cannot win.

The Six Secret Teachings and Three Strategies of Jiang Ziya (Taigong Wang), along with The Art of War by Sun Tzu, are absolute must-reads. Since I am Japanese, I would also include Miyamoto Musashi’s The Book of Five Rings for reference.

One of the most famous duels in history is David and Goliath. Goliath was a giant whom no normal person would dare to fight, yet the then-unknown shepherd boy David stepped forward. As is widely known, David claimed victory using a sling.

In the duel between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro, both were renowned swordsmen. Kojiro used a long live blade (katana), while Musashi secured victory using a wooden oar carved slightly longer than Kojiro’s sword. A live blade is heavy, whereas a wooden oar is light — the deciding factors for victory were length and speed.

Both of these battles perfectly embody the strategic principle that “Strategy is the art of deception.”

On the other hand, Alexander Hamilton and Alexander Pushkin lost their lives in duels. It is a tragedy that such rare historical talents were cut short this way. I would have loved to see Hamilton become president, and Pushkin might have written masterpieces that surpassed The Queen of Spades.

There are also battles where the outcome remains baffling. In Napoleon’s Battle of Aspern-Essling and Battle of Wagram, as well as Han Xin’s famous “Battle of Backing the River” (Haisui No Jin), victories were achieved despite using formations that made no sense under standard strategic doctrine. These are prime examples of the exceptions to the rules of strategy.

In the Battle of Actium, fought between Augustus (Octavian) and the allied forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, Augustus — who was undoubtedly well-versed in strategy — emerged victorious.

Additionally, Napoleon’s use of artillery to suppress rebellions during the Siege of Toulon, Avignon, and the 13 Vendémiaire was highly unexpected for the tactics of that era.

“Strategy is the art of deception.” This phrase teaches us that you must first thoroughly master standard tactics (orthodox methods) before you can effectively employ unconventional strategies (deception).