Psychology
Strategy 14: Overwhelm Resistance with Speed and Suddenness (The 33 Strategies of War)
## The Blitzkrieg Strategy > You must be slow in deliberation and swift in execution.Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) In 1218, Muhammad II, the shah of Khwarazm, received a delegation from the Mongol Empire to the east.
The Blitzkrieg Strategy
You must be slow in deliberation and swift in execution.Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
In 1218, Muhammad II, the shah of Khwarazm, received a delegation from the Mongol Empire to the east. Genghis Khan had sent the shah three ambassadors who offered gifts, and a treaty that recognized the shah as the superior partner. Together they would take control over the empire that extended around the Silk Road. Months later, another Mongol delegation arrived, this time to buy gold. But the governor of Otrar, a city in the northeastern corner in the shah’s empire, decided to have the delegation killed because he suspected they were spies. Genghis Khan heard of this news, and demanded an apology, but the men who he sent with this message had their heads severed. This meant war.
The shah had a great army and were favored to beat the Mongols, who they described as much weaker than they presumed after their first battle with them. But the Mongols were the fastest army in the world, their soldiers could fight on horseback. Eventually, through speed and misdirection, the Mongols were able to fool the shah’s army, and earned victory in the end, in what is considered the greatest surprise attack in history.
In a world where people are constantly distracted, where people are often lulled into inaction, the prudent strategy would be to strike quickly and boldly. The Blitzkrieg strategy that was used by the Germans, where ground and air warfare were waged simultaneously, and the quick attacks that were launched by Genghis Khan, is the most difficult to counter.
At first, give your enemy the illusion of calm, do not make loud noises, let them think you are slow and complacent. When their guard is down, attack with blistering pace.
The less a thing is foreseen, the more…fright does it cause. This is nowhere seen better than in war, where every surprise strikes terror even to those who are much the stronger.Xenophon (430?-355? B.C.)
Never fall into a slow natural tempo, you should only be slow for the purpose of misdirection. Otherwise, you should sprint. It is speed that will give you the ultimate advantage.
If you’re interested in exploring the darker or hidden parts of human psychology that most people ignore, check out The Dichotomy of the Self.
YARPP List
Related posts:
- Strategy 2: Do Not Fight The Last War (The 33 Strategies of War)
- Strategy 7: Transform Your War into a Crusade: Morale Strategies (The 33 Strategies of War)
- Strategy 8: Pick Your Battles Carefully (The 33 Strategies of War)
- Strategy 11: Trade Space for Time (The 33 Strategies of War)
Keep Reading
Related Articles
Psychology
Chapter 5: Israel, the Palestinians and the Peace Process (Introduction to Middle East Politics)
This chapter discusses the main obstacles of the peace process that developed between Israel and Palestine since 1991. Both sides claim to fight for their identity and for their rights.
Psychology
Myth 7: Adolescence is Inevitably a time of Emotional Turmoil (50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology)
It has been a long-held belief that adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil. There is no shortage of people who have confirmed this claim. The first notable mention can be traced back to 1904, when the first president of the American Psychological Association, G.
Psychology
Maps of Meaning 1 Notes
# My Notes For Maps Of Meaning 1 (2017) – Jordan Peterson *Maps of Meaning 1* # Maps of Meaning 1 (Order vs Chaos) In my [Maps of Meaning 1](https://www.youtube.
Psychology
Chapter 10: Terrorism (21 Lessons for the 21st Century)
> Since 11 September 2001, every year terrorists have killed about fifty people in the European Union, about ten people in the USA, about seven people in China, and up to 25,000 people globally (mostly in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria and Syria).