This work is the most famous study of military strategy ever written and has had an extraordinary influence on the history of warfare. Its principles were used by Mao Tse-tung, General Vo Ngyuen Giap, and Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. First translated two hundred years ago, it has been credited with influencing Napoleon, the German general staff, and even the planning for Operation Desert Storm. Today, Western businessmen and other are turning to it for inspiration and advice on how to succeed in competitive situations of all kinds. Unlike other editions currently available, this translation make use of the best available classical Chinese manuscripts, including the ancient tomb text version discovered by archaeologists at Linyi, China. The author places this classic work of strategy in its proper historical context by supplying a portrait of Sun-Tzu's era and outlining several battles of the period that may have either influenced him or been conducted by him.