Sun Tzu in Hollywood: The Art of War, Espionage, and the Use of Spies

Sun Tzu’s ancient treatise The Art of War has inspired leaders from Napoleon to Fidel Castro, Joseph Stalin, and former CIA director General David Petraeus.

“Sun Tzu’s classic work is, in short, a fascinating mixture of the poetic and the pragmatic, and every bit as relevant now as when it was written,” General Petraeus writes in his introduction to The Art of War’s 2018 edition.
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Hollywood and Wall Street’s Gordon Gekko are also fans. “I don’t throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things,” Gekko (Michael Douglas) tells Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen). “Read Sun Tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it’s ever fought.”

The Art of War has enlightened generations of movie-makers, musicians, and SPYSCAPE. Here’s our spin on Sun Tzu’s Chapter 13: The Use of Spies (see the full chapter below).
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1. Advance knowledge is power

While scholars aren’t consistent in their interpretation of The Art of War, one thing most agree on is that advance knowledge is power. If a ruler is willing to spend large sums to equip and deploy an army, they should also be prepared to employ spies to obtain intelligence in support of the mission - particularly spies with direct knowledge of the enemy’s circumstances.

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2. Spy networks should be divided into silos

Spies can be organized into five silos and - when all are operational - none should be able to discover the overall system in operation. Sun Tzu breaks the network into five categories: i) local spies - citizens of the enemy state; ii) inward spies - enemy operatives working as double agents; iii) converted spies - enemy agents now working against their former ruler; iv) doomed spies - expendable agents fed false information to be shared with the enemy; and v) surviving spies - operatives who gather intelligence and report back.

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3. The value of high-level double agents should not be underestimated

‘Inward spies’ with top-level knowledge of the enemy should be handsomely rewarded. Sun Tzu cites two examples of highly valued double agents: “The rise of the Yin dynasty was due to I Chih [aka Yi Yin] who had served under the Hsia. Likewise, the rise of the Chou dynasty was due to Lü Ya [aka Lü Yi] who had served under the Yin.”

By referring to Chih and Lu Ya, Sun Tzu makes it clear that he is referring to exemplary double agents with access to the highest levels of decision-making and intelligence that can sway the balance of power between rivals.

Chih/Yi Yin was a Chinese politician and powerful counselor to the ruler of the Hsia (Xia) but assisted the founders of the Shang dynasty in usurping the throne. Lü Ya/ Lü Yi was a Shang dynasty military commander who offered to fight in service of the rebel clan that established the Chou (Zhou) dynasty.

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4. Spymasters must weigh the character of their operatives

Espionage is a delicate matter, so agents should be treated with humanity, justice - and a certain amount of wariness. Ultimately, the spymaster must decide when to trust or doubt their spies by using their best judgment.

5. Know the enemy from the ground up

Low-level bystanders might seem unimportant at first glance but they can become crucial later - they might be able to assist, turn a blind eye, or pass on intelligence they’ve overheard. “Begin by finding out the names of the attendants, the aides-de-camp, and door-keepers and sentries of the general in command,” Sun Tze writes. “Our spies must be commissioned to ascertain these.”

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6. Convert enemy spies‍

Enemy spies sent to gather intelligence should be converted into allies with bribes and comfortable housing. Their knowledge of the enemy can assist in spotting likely double agents, planting false info, and sending in operatives to gather intelligence and report back.

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7. Intelligence yields results‍

Sun Tzu concludes: “Spies are a most important element in water because, on them, depends an army's ability to move.”

In other words, psychological warfare matters as much - and sometimes even more - than physical force. Some of the best victories are possible without fighting and battle should only be waged when necessary.

In Gene Simmons’ introduction to the 2010 edition of The Art of War, the bassist for the rock band Kiss viewed Sun Tzu’s book as “inspirational yet practical guidance on viewing the world as a network of combat zones, where the stakes are high, and struggle is the primary mode of being; where no one is to be trusted, and where survival depends on unconditional victory.”