Passage 3-4
故上兵伐謀, 其次伐交, 其次伐兵, 其下攻城.
The supreme art of war is: 1. To attack the enemy’s strategy 2. Next, to disrupt their alliances 3. Next, to attack their army 4. Lowest is to assault their fortified cities
The Attack Hierarchy (上兵伐謀): Attack strategy first, alliances second, armies third, fortresses last. A decision model for escalation that remains valid 2,500 years later.
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