There Is No Instance Of A Nation Benefitting From

The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.

You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war.

Ultimate excellence lies not in winning every battle, but in defeating the enemy without ever fighting.

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.

The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.