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Comprising varying layers of authority between the general and the men, the officers lead the men into battle and execute the general’s orders. The general has direct responsibility for their ability and morale—Master Sun states that any flaw, physical or psychological, in the officers comes from the general’s inability to properly lead them. Well-trained and loyal officers are brave but not hotheaded, and consistent in their orders to and temperament with the men.
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The Officers Character Timeline in The Art of War
The timeline below shows where the character The Officers appears in The Art of War. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3
...is called hobbling an army. Disrupting military decisions despite a lack of knowledge confuses the officers and the men, as does interfering in the promotions process. If such confusion arises it...
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...and when to not, knowing how to deploy an army of any size, having united officers and men, being prepared for surprises, and having a general who can make his own...
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Chapter 7
...camp you might lose the equipment. Forced marches over 30 miles lead to losing the officers—this will separate the weak from the strong and only one in ten will arrive. Over...
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Chapter 9
If the officers are often angry, the men tire. If they are feeding meat to the men and...
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Chapter 10
...of two armies are matched but one is much larger, the result is flight. When officers are weak although the men are strong, this leads to impotence. If officers are strong...
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Chapter 11
...their lives, and they will die before they flee. Men facing death can do anything—both officers and men will give their all.
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