The 33 Strategies of WarBrilliant distillations of the strategies of war—and the subtle social game of everyday life—by the bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power and The Laws of Human Nature Robert Greene’s groundbreaking guides, The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and Mastery, espouse profound, timeless lessons from the events of history to help readers vanquish an enemy, ensnare an unsuspecting victim, or become the greatest in your field. In The 33 Strategies of War, Greene has crafted an important addition to this ruthless and unique series. Spanning world civilizations, synthesizing dozens of political, philosophical, and religious texts and thousands of years of violent conflict, The 33 Strategies of War is the I-Ching of conflict, the contemporary companion to Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. Abundantly illustrated with examples from history, including the folly and genius of everyone from Napoleon to Margaret Thatcher, Shaka the Zulu to Lord Nelson, Hannibal to Ulysses S. Grant, as well as movie moguls, Samurai swordsmen, and diplomats, each of the thirty-three chapters outlines a strategy that will help you win life’s wars. Learn the offensive strategies that require you to maintain the initiative and negotiate from a position of strength, or the defensive strategies designed to help you respond to dangerous situations and avoid unwinnable wars. The great warriors of battlefields and drawing rooms alike demonstrate prudence, agility, balance, and calm, and a keen understanding that the rational, resourceful, and intuitive always defeat the panicked, the uncreative, and the stupid. An indispensable book, The 33 Strategies of War provides all the psychological ammunition you need to overcome patterns of failure and forever gain the upper hand. |
Contents
SELFDIRECTED WARFARE | 1 |
DECLARE WAR ON YOUR ENEMIES THE POLARITY STRATEGY | 3 |
DO NOT FIGHT THE LAST WAR THE GUERRILLAWAROFTHEMIND STRATEGY | 15 |
AMIDST THE TURMOIL OF EVENTS DO NOT LOSE YOUR PRESENCE OF MIND THE COUNTERBALANCE STRATEGY | 27 |
CREATE A SENSE OF URGENCY AND DESPERATION THE DEATHGROUND STRATEGY | 41 |
ORGANIZATIONAL TEAM WARFARE | 53 |
AVOID THE SNARES OF GROUPTHINK THE COMMANDANDCONTROL STRATEGY | 55 |
SEGMENT YOUR FORCES THE CONTROLLEDCHAOS STRATEGY | 69 |
EXPOSE AND ATTACK YOUR OPPONENTS SOFT FLANK THE TURNING STRATEGY | 229 |
ENVELOP THE ENEMY THE ANNIHILATION STRATEGY | 243 |
MANEUVER THEM INTO WEAKNESS THE RIPENINGFORTHESICKLE STRATEGY | 253 |
NEGOTIATE WHILE ADVANCING THE DIPLOMATICWAR STRATEGY | 271 |
KNOW HOW TO END THINGS THE EXIT STRATEGY | 283 |
UNCONVENTIONAL DIRTY WARFARE | 297 |
WEAVE A SEAMLESS BLEND OF FACT AND FICTION MISPERCEPTION STRATEGIES | 299 |
TAKE THE LINE OF LEAST EXPECTATION THE ORDINARYEXTRAORDINARY STRATEGY | 313 |
TRANSFORM YOUR WAR INTO A CRUSADE MORALE STRATEGIES | 79 |
DEFENSIVE WARFARE | 95 |
PICK YOUR BATTLES CAREFULLY THE PERFECTECONOMY STRATEGY | 97 |
TURN THE TABLES THE COUNTERATTACK STRATEGY | 109 |
CREATE A THREATENING PRESENCE DETERRENCE STRATEGIES | 123 |
TRADE SPACE FOR TIME THE NONENGAGEMENT STRATEGY | 137 |
OFFENSIVE WARFARE | 145 |
LOSE BATTLES BUT WIN THE WAR GRAND STRATEGY | 147 |
KNOW YOUR ENEMY THE INTELLIGENCE STRATEGY | 165 |
OVERWHELM RESISTANCE WITH SPEED AND SUDDENNESS THE BLITZKRIEG STRATEGY | 179 |
CONTROL THE DYNAMIC FORCING STRATEGIES | 187 |
HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS THE CENTEROFGRAVITY STRATEGY | 203 |
DEFEAT THEM IN DETAIL THE DIVIDEANDCONQUER STRATEGY | 213 |
OCCUPY THE MORAL HIGH GROUND THE RIGHTEOUS STRATEGY | 331 |
DENY THEM TARGETS THE STRATEGY OF THE VOID | 343 |
SEEM TO WORK FOR THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS WHILE FURTHERING YOUR OWN THE ALLIANCE STRATEGY | 355 |
GIVE YOUR RIVALS ENOUGH ROPE TO HANG THEMSELVES THE ONEUPMANSHIP STRATEGY | 369 |
TAKE SMALL BITES THE FAIT ACCOMPLI STRATEGY | 383 |
PENETRATE THEIR MINDS COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES | 393 |
DESTROY FROM WITHIN THE INNERFRONT STRATEGY | 407 |
DOMINATE WHILE SEEMING TO SUBMIT THE PASSIVEAGGRESSION STRATEGY | 419 |
SOW UNCERTAINTY AND PANIC THROUGH ACTS OF TERROR THE CHAINREACTION STRATEGY | 435 |
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY | 451 |
453 | |
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Common terms and phrases
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