Sun Tzu

Chapter 12: The Attack by Fire

1. Sun Tzu said: There are five ways of attacking with
fire. The first is to burn soldiers in their camp; the second is to burn stores; the third is to burn baggage trains; the fourth is to burn arsenals and magazines; the fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the

2. In order to carry out an attack, we must have means
available.

The material for raising fire should always be kept in readiness.

3. There is a proper season for making attacks with fire,
and special days for starting a conflagration.

4. The proper season is when the weather is very dry; the
special days are those when the moon is in the constellations of
the Sieve, the Wall, the Wing or the Cross-bar; for these four are all days of rising wind.

5. In attacking with fire, one should be prepared to meet
five possible developments:

6. (1) When fire breaks out inside to enemy's camp, respond
at once with an attack from without.

7. (2) If there is an outbreak of fire, but the enemy's
soldiers remain quiet, bide your time and do not attack.

8. (3) When the force of the flames has reached its height,
follow it up with an attack, if that is practicable; if not, stay
where you are.

9. (4) If it is possible to make an assault with fire from
without, do not wait for it to break out within, but deliver your
attack at a favorable moment.

10. (5) When you start a fire, be to windward of it. Do
not attack from the leeward.

11. A wind that rises in the daytime lasts long, but a
night breeze soon falls.

12. In every army, the five developments connected with
fire must be known, the movements of the stars calculated, and a
watch kept for the proper days.

13. Hence those who use fire as an aid to the attack show
intelligence; those who use water as an aid to the attack gain an
accession of strength.

14. By means of water, an enemy may be intercepted, but not
robbed of all his belongings.

15. Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles
and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of
enterprise; for the result is waste of time and general
stagnation.

16. Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans
well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources.

17. Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your
troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless
the position is critical.

18. No ruler should put troops into the field merely to
gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply
out of pique.

19. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if
not, stay where you are.

20. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be
succeeded by content.

21. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never
come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life

22. Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good
general full of caution. This is the way to keep a country at
peace and an army intact.