The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities... It is best to win without fighting.
Authentication Score 1
Original Citation
Sun Tzu. 孫子兵法 [The Art of War]. c. 475 BC, ch. 3.
Current Citation
Sun Tzu. The Art of War: The Essential Translation of the Classic Book of Life, translated by John Minford. Penguin Classics, 2009, ch. 3.