The 33 Strategies of War

Infobox Book |
name = The 33 Strategies of War


author = Robert Greene (author)
country = United States
language = English
genre = Business, management, military history, psychology, self-improvement
publisher = Penguin Group (HC); HighBridge Audio (CD)
release_date = January and April 2006
media_type = Print (Hardcover) and CD
pages = 496
isbn = ISBN 0-670-03457-6 (HC); 978-1-59887-091-6 (CD)

"The 33 Strategies of War" by Robert Greene is a collection of discussions and examples on offensive and defensive strategies released in 2006, which teaches the reader how to apply these strategies to resolve conflicts in daily life. The book uses examples from a wide variety of people and conditions such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Lawrence of Arabia, Alexander the Great, and the Tet Offensive. [cite web
url = http://www.dcmilitary.com/navy/seaservices/11_02/commentary/40435-1.html
title = The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene
author = Youssef Aboul-Enein
work = The Waterline
publisher = Comprint Military Publications
date= 30 March 2006
accessdate=2006-07-25] Although one reviewer has called the book "an indispensable book, interpolation|which provides all the psychological ammunition you need to overcome patterns of failure and forever gain the upper hand," [cite web
url = http://www.militaryink.com/books/2006/january/0670034576.htm
title = 33 Strategies of War (The), by Robert Greene
publisher = Military Ink
date= January 2006
accessdate=2006-07-25] another one found it "perplexing — if not downright unhealthy — interpolation|to publish a book on the lessons of war for everything but war at a time when we interpolation|Canada are, er, at war." [cite web
url = http://www.macleans.ca/culture/books/article.jsp?content=20060320_123270_123270
title = We shall fight them at the water cooler
author = Mark Steyn
work = Macleans.ca
publisher = Rogers Media Inc
date= 20 March 2006
accessdate = 2007-07-25] Yet another reviewer found the book's coverage of military history informative, but the political tales "mostly foolish or just plain wrong". [cite web
url = http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/reviews.nsf/book/story/1407D1ABABFBA31B862571030075C442?OpenDocument
title = The 33 Strategies of War
author = Joseph Losos
publisher = STLtoday.com
date= 29 January 2006
accessdate = 2006-07-25]

"The 33 Strategies of War" was part of the reading list for youths attending the Indigenous Leadership Forum organized by the University of Victoria, which aimed to redesign radical Indigenous politics and the Indigenist movement. [cite web
url = http://web.uvic.ca/~igov/programs/masters/IGOV_595_S01/IGOV%20595%20INDIGENOUS%20LEADERSHIP%20FORUM.pdf
title = Indigenous Leadership Forum IGOV 595/384 A01
format = PDF
accessdate = 2006-07-25] It is also read by students attending a Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary course in Christian apologetics. [cite web
url = http://www.designinference.com/teaching/2006_fall_chr_apol_mdiv/syllabus_chr_theol_fall06_SWBTS_4373.pdf
title = PHREL 4373 Christian Apologetics
format = PDF
author = William A. Dembski
accessdate = 2006-07-25]

ummary

"The 33 Strategies of War" is not as much about war as it is about strategies of dealing in various environments and understanding the strategies and methods to counter them. Greene's examples are from a wide variety of people and conditions; Napoleon Bonaparte, Alfred Hitchcock, Sun Tzu, Margaret Thatcher, Shaka the Zulu, Lord Nelson, Franklin Roosevelt, Hannibal, Ulysses S. Grant, and many more.

The book is broken into five parts: Self-Directed Warfare, Organizational (Team) Warfare, Defensive Warfare, Offensive Warfare and Unconventional (Dirty) Warfare. Each part contains a differing number of strategies, each in a chapter. Each chapter has the similar layout. There are multiple examples of political situations (most are battles, but there are plenty of political or business examples) and an accompanying interpretation. There is an occasional "instructional" section followed by examples. All chapters end with a "Reversal" to give a briefdiscussion of where the strategy may not apply, a contrary view or defense. Throughout the book Mr. Greene liberally sprinkles quotes from a variety of sources for the reader's interpretation. These are artfully laced in the margins and between sections.

References