The 33 Strategies of War
The harnessing of electric power and the great
advances in medicine have improved the human condition,
but we have not rid ourselves of conflict. In short,
brutality is as ever-present (and ever more deadly)
as in the past.
In "The 33 Strategies of War," Robert
Greene treats war as a given. He insists that as
long as people quarrel over wealth, power and status,
there will be antagonism and that will lead to
some sort of war. Since that can't be helped, he
offers strategies to employ in the game. These
range from swift thrusts, to careful maneuvering
to astute propaganda. For example, one chapter
(Strategy Number 16) is titled "Hit Them Where
It Hurts."
On the other hand, another one is called "Trade
Space for Time"; the advice ranges all over
the place. You should be bold, unless, he whispers,
it is better to retreat and attack from ambush.
Which contradictory path should you follow? For
that, we get historical analogies. But alas, although
some of these are very interesting (especially
those dealing with the Punic Wars and the campaigns
of Napoleon) they still fail to tell you which
strategy (or tactics, for that matter) is appropriate
for which situation.
And while the military history is informative,
the political tales are often foolish or just plain
wrong. The parts on Italian history are particularly
inept.
'The 33 Strategies of War'
By Robert Greene
Published by Viking, 452 pages, $25.95
Joseph Losos is a St. Louis investment adviser. |
