Leiden University Student Repository

Thompson, Diederik (2022)

Sun Tzu in Afghanistan: Applying the Art of War to a Contemporary Case Study

Bachelor thesis | Security Studies (BSc)

Sun Tzu’s Art of War, written in the 5th century BC, is widely considered one of the most important guides to warfare and military strategy ever written. In order to evaluate this book’s contemporary relevance to the field of strategic studies, this thesis sought to apply the Art of War’s teachings to the modern-day case study of the United States’ (US) war in Afghanistan. Criticisms of the US’s strategy in this conflict are widespread. By applying Sun Tzu’s knowledge to this case study, valuable insights are gained as to the exact nature of the US’s mistakes in Afghanistan. This thesis concludes that the US in Afghanistan should have been more mindful of preventing civilian casualties, that domestic US politics interfered detrimentally in military affairs, that the Taliban were severely underestimated as an enemy, and that the US should have taken measures to prevent the war from lasting as long as it did. Understanding the lessons offered by the Art of War on the Afghanistan case...Show moreSun Tzu’s Art of War, written in the 5th century BC, is widely considered one of the most important guides to warfare and military strategy ever written. In order to evaluate this book’s contemporary relevance to the field of strategic studies, this thesis sought to apply the Art of War’s teachings to the modern-day case study of the United States’ (US) war in Afghanistan. Criticisms of the US’s strategy in this conflict are widespread. By applying Sun Tzu’s knowledge to this case study, valuable insights are gained as to the exact nature of the US’s mistakes in Afghanistan. This thesis concludes that the US in Afghanistan should have been more mindful of preventing civilian casualties, that domestic US politics interfered detrimentally in military affairs, that the Taliban were severely underestimated as an enemy, and that the US should have taken measures to prevent the war from lasting as long as it did. Understanding the lessons offered by the Art of War on the Afghanistan case study can lead to more effective military strategy in future conflicts.Show less

Sun Tzu

Art of War

Strategic Studies

Afghanistan

Author

Thompson, Diederik

Faculty

Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs

Supervisors

Meer, A. van der

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en