02.017 Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our...

[Trinity]

Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well. This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

Let there be no mistake as to who is in control. After the conquest increase your own strength by drawing on their strength and talent. Begin building loyalty at once

[Kansuke]

Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well. This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

Use what you capture! Everything you can take from the enemy is a blow to his war effort and a boost to yours. Treat the captives well, in hopes of their defection, or tidbits of useful information in exchange for freedom. Everything you can take from the enemy and use against the enemy, do. It's much more resourceful than doing all the work yourself.

Fight the enemy... with the enemy.

[FlamingCorndogs]

Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well. This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

Kipling had a lot to say on this point.

Replacing the flags and standards removes the enemy's identity, hierarchy, and communication. Its command and control.
Captured chariots are chariots the enemy has to rebuild and that one's own people do not have to build and transport to the location of the army.
Treating the captured soldiers well keeps the next wave of troops from girding their loins and fighting with desperate ferocity. One absolutely does not want the opposition eating up its food, burning its train, and distributing all the vodka.

[Saro]

My take on this passage is the same as it seems to be for most others on this thread. Converting the enemy's resources to our own use, be it men or material, decreases the enemy's strength and simultaneously increases ours. This is more efficient than simply destroying the enemy.

You do this to material acquisitions by placing your symbol of ownership or control on them as you use them (so this no mistake among the enemy or your own as to whose it now is).

By treating captured soldiers well you can convert them to your cause at best, or at the least, secure their neutrality if they opt not to fully support you. When you've removed them from combat by defeating them, then show leniency, any animosity that may have existed toward you will be diminished if not extinguished. Even if they won't outright help you they won't be given any more reason to harm you than they already had, especially if they remain under your power. Following this practice you might make new allies but you will avoid making new enemies.

[lozen]

Did the practice of replacing flags begin around Sun Tzu's time? I always wondered where that started.

As far as treating captured enemy soldiers well, it seems this would be a good idea so as not to create more martyrs. I'm not sure I can see them just changing sides after capture, but it will at least create less new problems. But I think the real reason to do it is because it is The Way. Just like not killing children.

[Uzume]

Appropriate! Appropriate! Appropriate!

Win over! Win over! Win over!

Score a propaganda coup while you use the enemy's material resources against him and persuade his troops to come over to your side.

[Realist]

Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well. This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

This quote strongly applies to both warfare and business matters. But, for now, I'll concentrate more so on warfare, though, being from Sun Tzu, it might be in reference to business. When you capture an enemy's flags, take them as your own. Likewise, implement the enemy's own standards; you thus become one of the enemy, in some respects. This is often used to fool the opposition, so that they might view you as an ally - once captured, however... the enemy's view of ally will become reciprocative. Mix captured army's with your own, treat them with courtesy and benevolence. This way, you do not demur The Way, and gain an ally, and a friend. You then take from the enemy, but the enemy will be intermingled in your own command. Thus, this is called defeating the enemy and increasing our own strength. The enemy is thus no longer your enemy; perhaps even one of you; this is done without a fight. Thus, this is also done through The Way.

[Vesting]

Originally posted by sonshi
Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own,

Use the captured weaponry of your opponent to keep the costs of the battle for your forces as low as possible, while making the continuation of it even more expensive for the enemy, as they will have to replace them to counter their loss of momentum.

treat the captured soldiers well.

Show as a great general your humaneness. Make the minds and hearts of the enemy's remaining forces belief that they can better survive the ordeal by giving up their resitance. Exploit their hesitation if they act otherwise.

This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

Use a power leverage by lowering their resistance by showing an act of humaneness, while you simultenously and ruthlessly increase the enemy's costs rates if they attempt to continue the battle. This will break them.

[Hazard]

Originally posted by sonshi
Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well. This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

Absorb the army instead of destroying it. Be respectful of their temples and preserve their way of life then use those who are not powerful and make them powerful. If you do this you will be setting up a province instead of a graveyard.

[Hephaestus]

Originally posted by sonshi
Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well. This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

Make your enemy your ally. Take their troops in, treat them better than their own country did, and you can use them to fight your battles. For every man you lose, make sure that you can assimilate a captured soldier into your ranks. This way you are destroying the enemy, while at the same time making your own forces inexhaustible.

[Bubishi]

Originally posted by sonshi
Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well. This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

The better alternative to raising troops at Home, make your enemies work for you. Therefore your army will replenish their forces while keeping your nation strong and protecting your nations resources.

Do not distroy your enemy, use them to increase your advantages.

[magenta11]

Originally posted by Bubishi
The better alternative to raising troops at Home, make your enemies work for you. Therefore your army will replenish their forces while keeping your nation strong and protecting your nations resources.

Do not distroy your enemy, use them to increase your advantages.

Need to be really careful here I see but this is correct physically.

What is will of general is the main concern... I know this might be stabbing the heart but Since Bubishi seem very dedicated, I'd throw him some catnip per say (nice pic btw).

Nowhere does it say any where on Sun Tzu's text you can't kill your own to gain advantage. One of the immediate and severe example is this Chariot battle. One simple analogy is such as this. Replace their chariot's flag with ours mix with ours, but have those new chariots be filled with their troop as prisoners and run them in front of your troops to create human shield.

Inhumain? Unethical? These are the minds of real war, these are just a tip of "viewing not just seeing" that I teach. Then what would result of these bloody presentation to my enemy?

what is your will as general? What will you do? The prisoners are sure to die. What will you order your troops to do? Where does it say anywhere on this chapter per instance you can't reduce your numbers strategically in order to gain?

Expand your parameter, we are all capable of doing so.

As it is a case and point, it seems though only a hand full of sand achieve this knowledge out of all the sand in the world. Only a hand full.... Such is my dim little mind in my so called teaching of this powerful text written in 8,000 some words to prove to the world what our minds are capable of...

Looks like another long year after all~

[Kouga Gennosuke]

My boss speaks of Luxemburg fitting this space. Look them up.

I see this text as on that accepts the enemy as a friend. We use every resource. All the while, make sure have your flag waving.

[Duncan]

Originally posted by sonshi
Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well. This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

I'm torn. This sounds like a good idea up front. The US used Nazis to administer Berlin. They allowed Japan to keep it's emporer, albeit only as a figurehead. These nations were defeated though. When the Germans used Russian and Polish troops they were useful only in the same way as penal battalions. Officials under the Taliban have kept their places in Afghanistan and all that has done is greased the heroin trade. Would Westmorland trust NVA or VC troops mingled in with his own? I doubt it. Think about what this comingling will do to moral and effectiveness of units. I think the key is to defeat the enemy and then offer those with useful skills and weak alliances the opportunity to participate in its reconstruction.

[Yin]

Originally Posted by sonshi

Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own. Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well. This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

This is a matter of taking and blending

Take the enemies expanded body and blend it with yours

This requires meticulous screening it can be a Trojan horse you know