This essay will explore Sun Tzu's influences on World War II. Sun Tzu (544 – 496 BC) was a Chinese general and strategist during the Zhou dynasty. His techniques, even today, are highly respected. Sun Tzu's teachings were used not only in Asia and Europe, but have also been applied today by Western society. Sun Tzu's book is divided into thirteen chapters, which provide vital information about victory. The thirteen chapters are: Planning, War, Attack by Stratagem, Tactical Dispositions, Energy, Weak and Strong Points, Maneuver, Tactical Variations, The Army on the March, the Terrain, The Nine Situations, Attack with Fire and Use of spies. The execution of these, according to Sun Tzu, will bring any commander to victory. Sun Tzu states that formulating plans occurs before entering a war/battle. During which a General must remember the five fundamental factors; The moral law, The sky, the earth, The commander, Method and discipline. The moral law means that people are in complete agreement with their leader and are willing to fight for his motives. This also applies to the soldiers, who must have complete trust in the Commander. Secondly, Heaven means the seasons or climate; When planning a battle, the Commander must consider the weather and battlefield characteristics and arrange for his troops to transport supplies accordingly. Earth is used to represent the terrain encountered by the troops. During a long march, the Commander must ensure that his troops maintain their energy in case of a surprise attack. To ensure the strength of his troops he must give them adequate time to rest, he must plan ahead. A General is a dignitary who informs the Commander of the p...... middle of paper...... tails: the true story of the D-day spies. New York: Crown, 2012. Print.• Rankin, Nicholas. "Overlord and Fortress." Churchill's Wizards: The British Genius of Deception 1914-1945. London: Faber and Faber, 2008. 392. Print.• Isserman, Maurice. The Vietnam War. New York: Facts on File, 1992. Print.• Trapp, James. The Art of War: A New Translation. New York: Chartwell Books, 2012. Print.• Levine, Joshua. Operation Fortress. Large print edition. Oxford: ISIS Large Print, 2012. Print.• Cantrell, Robert L., and Lionel Giles. Understanding Sun Tzu on the Art of War the oldest military treatise in the world. Arlington, Virginia: Center For Advantage, 2003. Print.• Art of War. Director David Baeumler. Perf. Richard A. Gabriele. A & E Television Network, 2009. DVD.• Watson, John. "Sun Tzu's Art of War." The Art of War by Sun Tzu. Google and the Web. 8 January. 2013. .