Modern Fighter

 

Lessons in the Art of War: Martial Strategies for the Successful Fighter

The martial arts have a long tradition emphasizing the wisdom of Asian philosophers such as Sun Tzu and Miyamoto Musashi. These philosophers owe much of their longevity to their use of universal principles for fighting. Sun Tzu, for example, in his Art of War which might be the most widely studied of the Asian military treatises, did not speak of a mutually agreed upon code of conduct in battle. Rather, he assessed the terrain, weather, and leadership for the purpose of determining if the conditions favored victory. Although his battle philosophy emphasized quick victory, tactics of trickery and deception were elevated and described as virtues of great generals. The Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, in A Book of Five Rings, likewise viewed warfare as a pragmatic undertaking which purpose it was to defeat the enemy by killing him. He followed a set of “natural” (scientific) principles, and attributed his victories to his understanding of these principles; one of which was the importance of mental balance and the ability to stop an attack at the outset in order to stifle an opponent’s speed and power.

Aikido is a strictly defensive martial art that relies on controlling the center of the action, using the opponent’s energy against him often through a weakness in his anatomy such as the wrist. Once the attack has been neutralized, the aikido practitioner can force the adversary to submit through pain compliance without actually damaging the joint. (Image source: Magyar Balazs, Wikimedia Commons)

 

The most prominent military thinker in the West was likely Carl von Clausewitz, an early nineteenth century Prussian soldier and military strategist. Clausewitz presented his ideas as timeless and consistent theory of conflict. Like the Asian philosophers, he sought to discover a universal nature of combat while illustrating his principles through the use of specific examples. At the heart of his theory might be the theme that combat is talked about in one way and exercised in another.

Statue of ancient Greek boxer resting on a boulder after a match, from the Thermae of Constantine, third to second century BCE. Note the leather straps used by the boxer to protect the knuckles and increase the damaging power of the strike. (Image source: Marie-Lan Nguyen, Wikimedia Commons)

 

The main difference between the writings of these military strategists may be that Sun Tzu provided specific steps for every conceivable battlefield situation (for example: “On encircled terrain, I obstruct any openings”), while Clausewitz emphasized that various “frictions” such as uncertainty, ignorance, confusion, and fatigue often interfere with one’s combat plan and prevents one from exercising full power and control over the enemy. On a conceptual level, however, their discourse displays far more similarities than differences which further demonstrates that factors such as time period (Sun Tzu and Clausewitz were separated in time by more than two millennia), geographical location (Asia versus Europe), and cultural issues (debated by military historian Victor Davis Hanson in his book, Carnage and Culture) are less significant in combat than are the understanding and embrace of a universal human nature. In order to determine how their respective theories have affected the modern martial arts practitioner, one must also consider them within the political framework of the times.  

 

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Table of Contents

• Introduction to Asian and Western Military Thought

Although Sun Tzu’s and Carl von Clausewitz’s powerful assertions will likely challenge common approaches to success and hopefully spark debate, the aim of this book is to establish a solid foundation for further study, decentralize the martial arts, and bridge the gap between the traditional Asian arts and their Western counterparts.

• Nature and Conduct of Combat

This chapter demonstrates that both Asian and Western combat arts were brutal activities designed primarily for fighting an enemy to the death; they were historically not about character building, spirituality, or self-perfection.

• What is Combat?

This chapter defines combat by examining its destructive elements, the value attached to the initiative, and its scientific and creative components. It distinguishes between ideal and real war, and demonstrates the importance of knowing your enemy and yourself in order to counter the effects of friction and chance.

• Preparing for Battle

This chapter demonstrates why habitual exercises increase physical skill, mental discipline, and courage, and help the martial artist perform with precision in the training hall and in encounters of life and death.

• Elements of Tactics and Strategy

This chapter demonstrates that when the strategy has been determined, tactical planning must be adapted to fit the changing circumstances of battle.  

• Imposing Your Will

This chapter examines several Asian and European fighting styles, demonstrating how fighters from ancient to modern times have succeeded in combat by seizing the initiative, pressing the attack, and imposing their will on the adversary often through physically damaging blows, but also through the destruction of the opponent’s fighting spirit.

• Destroying the Enemy Force

This chapter discusses the benefits of numerical superiority, the strengths of the offensive weapons, and the need for speed and aggression aimed at undermining the enemy’s physical prowess and fighting spirit.

• Strength of the Defensive Position

This chapter discusses the relationship between offense and defense and why defense is the stronger form of war. 

• Failure

This chapter explores the common causes of failure with an eye toward knowing the enemy and yourself by identifying the essential elements of the different fighting styles.

• Moral Quality of Courage

This chapter examines the effects of courage on fighting and the emotional factors involved in rousing a person to action. It discusses the need for a balanced perspective between boldness and intellect to ensure the best possible outcome.

• Securing Victory

This chapter discusses the elements that will assist one’s pursuit of victory in reference to the concepts and principles that have been presented throughout this book, to include numerical superiority, destruction of the enemy force, and sound defensive practices. The importance of winning, the moral qualities required to achieve a lasting victory, and the preservation of peace are also considered.

• Conclusion

The objective of this book has been to give the reader the tools he or she needs to decode the ancient historical accounts of warfare in order to gain an understanding of the influence these sources have had on how we think about combat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This statue of Kano Jigoro (1860-1938 CE), the founder of judo, outside the Kodokan Institute in Tokyo, Japan, stands as a reminder of the dedication and spirit required to understand combat and master a martial art. (Image source: Henrik Probell, Wikimedia Commons)