The second chapter of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", titled "Waging War", discusses the economic aspects of warfare and their implications. This chapter specifically elaborates on the economic burden of war, the drawbacks of prolonged warfare, the utilization of the enemy's resources, and ways to avoid long-term warfare.
1. Economic Burden of War: Sun Tzu provides a concrete example of the economic burden of large-scale warfare. He states that if a force of 100,000 armed soldiers, with 1,000 chariots and 1,000 supply wagons, were to march a thousand miles to deliver provisions, it would cost a thousand gold pieces per day.
2. Drawbacks of Prolonged Warfare: Sun Tzu points out that if a war drags on, it exhausts the army, dampens morale, and depletes the national budget.
3. Utilization of the Enemy: Sun Tzu emphasizes the importance of seizing the enemy's provisions to feed one's own soldiers.
4. Avoiding Long-Term Warfare: Sun Tzu states that short-term decisive battles that achieve minimal objectives are effective in warfare, while long-term wars that aim to achieve many objectives have never been effective.
In conclusion, Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" deeply understands the economic aspects of warfare and emphasizes the importance of incorporating this understanding into strategic planning. Ignoring the economic aspects of warfare can exhaust a nation's finances, lower the morale of the army, and ultimately lead to defeat in war, Sun Tzu warns. This understanding provides useful insights for modern strategic planning.
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