Sun Tzu’s the Art of War is considered a classic work on military strategy. In a surprise turn, Chinese historians announced a long-list chapter of Sun Tzu: abandon key strategic bases
The Art of War breaks down how a military commander should behave, think ahead, predict his enemy’s strategy, and how a dangerous enemy would do the same to him. A good general should use these strategic tools to achieve the military goals.
In the missing chapter, Sun Tzu states that after investing great resources into a strategic fortification, abandoning defensible bases will sow confusion in the enemy. Once the enemy seizes your resources, then you will have the upper hand.
Historian Xian Ping said, “We think this discovery is remarkable. Sun Tzu comments on the use of deception techniques. But this was very advanced for his time period.”
Sun Tzu wrote his book around 530 B.C., during China’s Warring State’s period. In this time, different Chinese states fought each other for centuries to control rich agricultural land in Eastern China.
Coincidentally, this surprise discovery coincides with the recent U.S. withdrawal from Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan.
The Chinese Communist Party was quick to warn Taiwan that the U.S. would strategically withdraw from any defense of Taiwan.