Incendiary Attacks

Sun Tzu said:

“There are five types of incendiary attack: The first is to incinerate men, the second to incinerate provisions, the third to incinerate equipment, the fourth to incinerate stores and armories, and the fifth to incinerate formations.”

“Implementing an incendiary attack depends on the proper conditions. Equipment for incendiary attack should be fully prepared beforehand. Launching an incendiary attack has its appropriate seasons, and appropriate days for raising fires. As for the seasons, it is the time of the dry spell; as for the day, when the moon is in Chi, Pi ,I, or Chen. It is in these four lunar phases, when there are rising winds. Winds that arise in the daytime will persist; those that arise at night will stop.”

“In general, in incendiary warfare you must respond to the five changes of fire:”

• “If fires are started within their camp, then you should immediately respond with an attack from outside.”

• “If fires are ignited but their army remains quiet, then wait; do not attack.”

• “When the fire reaches its height, into a rage, if you can follow up, then do so; if you cannot, then desist.”

• “If the attack can be launched from outside without relying on inside assistance, set it at the appropriate time.”

• “If fires are ignited upwind, do not attack downwind.”

“The army must know the five changes of fires in order to defend against them at the appropriate times. Those using fire to assist an attack are enlightened, those who use water to assist an attack are powerful. Water can be used to split the enemy, but cannot be employed to take command.”

“If someone is victorious in battle and succeeds in attack but does not exploit the achievement, it is disastrous. This fate should be termed ‘wasteful and dawdling’. Therefore I say the wise general ponders it, the good general executes it.”

“If it is not advantageous, do not move. If objectives cannot be attained, do not employ the troops. Unless endangered do not engage in warfare. The ruler cannot mobilize the army out of personal anger. The general cannot engage in battle because of personal wrath. When it is advantageous, move; when not advantageous, stop. Anger can return to happiness, annoyance can return to joy, but a vanquished nation cannot be revived, and the dead cannot be brought back to life.”

“Therefore the enlightened ruler is judicious about it, the good general cautious of it. This is the Tao for bringing security to the nation and preserving the army intact.”