The Hall of Warriors

You enter the grounds and follow the Path of Victory. Some people call this path Bushido, the Way of the Warrior. Others know it as Kshatriya Dharma, the Right Conduct of the Warrior and King. As you walk toward the Hall of Warriors, you are greeted by statues of Victory and Pallas Athena.

As you approach the gate, Livius and Flavius salute you: "Hail, visitor! All who follow the Path of Victory are welcome here!"

You enter the hall to find a man with a grey cloak and a white beard. He wears a patch over one eye, and is accompanied by two ravens and two wolves. Odin, the Scandinavian god of war, presides over the Hall of Warriors. He carries the lance Gungnir: "This spear is the foundation of my power, the power of any leader. I cut its shaft from Yggdrasill, the World Ash Tree, the foundation of the world's order. The runes on the shaft speak of truth to pacts, of absolute trustworthiness. There is an underlying foundation to every organization, every society, every human endeavor. We Westerners call it Natural Law. The Indians call it Dharma, or Right Conduct. The Chinese call it Tao, and the Japanese call it Do: the Way. This is what I, Odin, call Yggdrasill, the World Ash Tree. The leader's authority comes from Natural Law, Dharma, or Tao."
"Natural Law is the foundation of the United States Constitution. It is also the keystone of what Dr. Stephen R. Covey calls Principle-Centered Leadership .The nation's founders created an organization, the United States, to serve its citizens. They specified the nation's purpose in the Preamble to the Constitution. Stephen Covey writes (1991, 292), "The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of our country define what we're about, what we're trying to achieve, and why." This is the United States' special heritage. It is not an accident of geography, language, or colonization, but an organization with a purpose. "This was the first nation in the world that was ever established on the basis of reason instead of warfare" (Campbell, 1988, 31)."

Frame Option

Finally you see the company that has assembled in the Hall of Warriors: two and a half thousand years of wisdom, intelligence, and leadership in one place. You can visit, compare the Western and Eastern Ways of War, or go to Odin's Library. Or follow this link for a conversation with Odin. NEW (10/18/98): The Gallery of Warriors. Portraits of famous warriors.
Here are the current inhabitants of the Hall of Warriors:

• Alexander the Great
• Carl von Clausewitz
• Frederick the Great
• Niccolo Machiavelli
• Helmuth von Moltke
• Miyamoto Musashi
• George S. Patton, Jr.
• Sun Tzu
• Alexander Suvorov
• Takeda Shingen
• Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington

Levinson (1994, ASQC Quality Press) The Way of Strategy applies lessons from Clausewitz, Machiavelli, Miyamoto Musashi, and Sun Tzu to modern business management.
Levinson (editor, 1998, ASQ Quality Press) Leading the Way to Competitive Excellence: The Harris Mountaintop Case Study uses Alexander the Great as its archetypical symbol for innovative thinking.
 

Alexander the Great 356-323 BCE		The world's first well-known paradigm buster. As a boy, he slept with Homer's Iliad under his pillow. Aristotle was his teacher, and his role models were Achilles and Hercules. Leading the Way to Competitive Excellence: The Harris Mountaintop Case Study uses Alexander as an archetype for overcoming paradigms, or self-limiting, preconceived ideas. Alexander's intellectual heirs are Alexander Suvorov and George S. Patton, Jr.
Carl von Clausewitz 1780-1831		Prussian general, author of On War (1831), which guided Western military strategy for almost a century.  "Business is War": "Rather than comparing it [war] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of interests and activities; and it is still closer to politics, which in turn may be considered as a kind of commerce on a larger scale" (Book 1, Ch. 3). That is, business is war: a competition between organizations. Vince Lombardi, the famous coach of the Green Bay Packers (American football team) said, "Running a football team is no different than running any other kind of organization-- an army, a political party, or a business. The object is to win-- to beat the other guy." That is, football = war = politics = business Clausewitz also told Lyndon B. Johnson why he would lose the Vietnam War. "Wearing down the enemy in a conflict means using the duration of the war to bring about a gradual exhaustion of his physical and moral resistance." (Book 1, Chapter 2).
Frederick II, "The Great," 1712-1786	Helmolt, H.F., ed. History of the World. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1902.	After conquering Prussia, Napoleon visited the tomb of Frederick the Great. Bonaparte himself admitted, "If he were alive, we would not be here."
Niccolò Machiavelli 1469-1527		Not a military leader, but wrote two valuable books on organizations: The Prince and The Art of War On the need for commitment: "The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people; for even if he has fortresses, and is hated by his people, the fortresses will not save him; for when a people have once risen in arms against their prince, there will be no lack of strangers who will aid them." (The Prince) See Takeda Shingen
Helmuth von Moltke 1800-1891	Duyckinick, Evert A. Portrait Gallery of Eminent Men and Women in Europe and America.  New York: Johnson, Wilson & Company, 1873.	Prussian Field Marshal, architect of Prussia's victories over Denmark, Austria-Hungary, and France. See Hughes, Daniel J. 1993. Moltke on the Art of War Selected Writings. Presidio Press, Novato, CA  On the United Nations, and its predecessor the League of Nations: "Some have proposed to replace diplomacy with a permanent assembly of deputies chosen by different nations to adjust the various international disputes and interests and thus to prevent all future wars. ... I have more confidence in the judgment and power of governments than in the Areopagus of delegates selected by the peoples and international brotherhood or what has been proposed in this direction, which is suited only to create Babylonian confusion." (page 25, "The Nature of War") Considering the League of Nations' ineffectiveness, and the UN's (mis)handling of Bosnia and the Middle East, von Moltke was right. (Oxymoron of the day: "UN-declared safe area.")  Eternal peace is a dream, and not even a pleasant one? "Eternal peace is a dream, and not even a pleasant one. War is part of God's world order. War develops man's noblest virtues..." However, he continues, "...who can deny that every war, even a victorious one, inflicts grievous wounds on all involved? Neither territorial gain nor billions in indemnity can replace the dead nor offset the mourning of families." This echoes the admonition in Chapter 12 of Sun Tzu's Art of War. "If one wishes to attack, then one must do so with resoluteness. Half measures are out of place. Only strength and confidence carry the units with them and produce success." Also see The Way of Strategy (pp. 83-85).
Miyamoto Musashi 1584-1645		Famous Japanese sword master, author of A Book of Five Rings. Miyamoto Musashi [1584-1645], A Book of Five Rings, translation by Victor Harris. Overlook Press, 1974, is a good reference. See also Levinson, 1994, The Way of Strategy . Miyamoto Musashi read Sun Tzu's Art of War, and it certainly influenced him.  Weapon = tool (of competition).This lesson recurs in Western languages. Hoplon (Greek) means "tool," but a hoplite  was a warrior. Armamenta (Latin) means"equipment."  Similarities between Bushido and architecture (project management): Musashi compares the Way of the Warrior to the Way of the Carpenter (architect) Musashi also anticipated the Myers-Briggs personality types (thinking/feeling, sensing/intuitive) centuries before Myers' and Brigg's birth. The Void Book says, "Polish the twofold spirit heart and mind, and sharpen the twofold gaze perception and sight." The sword was the soul of the samurai, and polishing and sharpening were the critical operations in its care.
George S. Patton, Jr. 1885-1945		American General, dynamic and aggressive strategist. The philisophical reincarnation of Alexander the Great and Alexander Suvorov.
Sun Tzu ~500 BCE		Chinese General, author of The Art of War. This is a short, but outstanding, guide to managing organizations in competitive situations. It contains lessons that apply to business and modern  statecraft.  If Kaiser Wilhelm had read it, Germany would have won the First World War. The Kaiser wouldn't have interfered with General Falkenhayn's plan to bleed the French and British Armies at Verdun. Verdun almost broke the morale of the Entente.  If Hitler had read it, Germany would have won the Second World War. Don't interfere with your field commanders Treat conquered peoples benevolently, and they will join you. E.g. The Ukrainians hated the Russians, since Stalin had killed 7 million of them, but the Nazis treated the Ukrainians badly.  If Lyndon B. Johnson had read it, the United States would have won the Vietnam War, or would have stayed out. (1) Don't fight a protracted war (see Chapter 2 of The Art of War). Also see Clausewitz  (2) You need popular commitment to wage war. Available translations  Sun Tzu. 1983. The Art of War, translated by James Clavell. Delacorte Press, New York (excellent, very easy to read) Sun Tzu. 1963. The Art of War, translated by Samuel Griffith. Oxford Univesity Press, Oxford, England (very comprehensive) Sun Tzu. 1987. Sun Tzu's Art of War– The Modern Chinese Interpretation, by General Tao Hanzhang. Translated by Yuan Shibing. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. New York Sun Tzu. 1988. The Art of War, translated by R. L. Wing. ("The Art of Strategy") Doubleday, New York
Alexander Suvorov 1729-1800		The one man who, at the end of the 18th century, could have stopped Napoleon. He did beat Napoleon's generals Moreau, Macdonald, and Joubert. Russian Field Marshal. Intellectual predecessor of General Patton. His aphorisms on war show appreciation for the need for speed (Sun Tzu: "Speed is the essence of war") and overcoming paradigms, or preconceived ideas.  On speed: "The enemy doesn't expect us, reckons us 100 versts away, and if a long way off to begin with, 200, 300 or more– suddenly we're on him, like snow on the head; his head spins. Attack with what comes up, with what God sends; the cavalry to begin, smash, strike, cut off, don't let slip, hurra!" (Tsouras, 1992, 31) "Swiftness and impact are the soul of genuine warfare." (Tsouras, 1992, 399) "A hard drill makes an easy battle." ("Train hard, fight easy.") "The bullet's an idiot, the bayonet's a fine chap." (Underlying principle of the Western Way of War: "Get in the enemy's face.") "Stab once and throw the Turk off the bayonet. Bayonet another, bayonet a third; a real warrior will bayonet half a dozen and more. Keep a bullet in the barrel. If three should run at you, bayonet the first, shoot the second and lay out the third with your bayonet. This isn't common but you haven't time to reload..." (Tsouras, 1992, 23) On overcoming paradigms: what if a scaling ladder was too short to reach the top of a wall? "Bayonet into the wall– climb on to it, after him another and a third. Comrade help comrade!" (Tsouras, 1992, 35) On bureaucracies and large headquarters staffs: "Large staffs- small victories." (Tsouras, 1992, 402) Suvorov article in Military History by Russell Isinger  NEW (1/7/99): page on Alexander Suvorov.
Takeda Shingen 1521-1573		Japanese daimyo (warlord), respected leader of samurai. Killed by a sniper while besieging Noda Castle. His war banner carried a short quote from Sun Tzu's Art of War: Swift as the wind  Silent as a forest  Fierce as fire  Immovable as a mountain    On the need for organizational commitment: "My castle is in the hearts of my people." See Machiavelli
Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of  Wellington 1769-1851	Duyckinick, Evert A. Portrait Gallery of Eminent Men and Women in Europe and America. New York: Johnson, Wilson & Company, 1873.	English Field Marshal, victor (with Blucher) over Napoleon at Waterloo. Reference: Keegan, John. 1987. The Mask of Command. Penguin Books, New York  On management by wandering around (MBWA, Tom Peters' term): The manager should get up front where the action is, talk to the frontline people, and see for himself/herself what's happening. The Duke of Wellington introduced this management style during the Napoleonic Wars: he called it "taking trouble." "[Wellington's methods] required a particularly intense 'managerial' style- 'taking trouble' with the battle, as Wellington himself would later put it. The general must make himself the eyes of his own army,..., must constantly change position to deal with crises as they occur along the front of his sheltered line, must remain at the point of crises until it is resolved and must still keep alert to anticipate the development of crises elsewhere." [Keegan, p. 149] On concern for the welfare of subordinates: After the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, Wellington learned that many wounded soldiers had no shelter. He personally rode thirty miles after dinner to order some officers to give up their lodgings for the wounded. (They should have done so by themselves.) They disobeyed him, which he discovered when he returned the next evening, so he cashiered them. After the capture of Asseerghur (1803), he sent stocks of his own wine to the wounded, and he visited them in the hospital (Keegan, p. 160).  On treatment of local populations in wartime: Sun Tzu discussed this in The Art of War, and Wellington practiced it (although he had never heard of Sun Tzu; English translations were not available). He forbade his soldiers to loot, and he bought goods from the locals instead of taking them. When generals allowed their soldiers to loot, and "requisitioned" goods from the populace, people naturally hid everything they had when an army approached. When Wellington's army came, however, the people brought everything they could sell to the marketplace. While the English had to pay for the goods, they had no trouble supplying their troops. "Prices were high but supply was abundant" (Keegan, 134). Even French peasants sold their goods to Wellington's army

The Romans adopted this decisive style of warfare, and built on it. The Romans usually began a fight by hurling the pilum, or javelin, into the enemy ranks. Each soldier then drew his gladius, or short sword, and got down to business. The Romans adapted their style of warfare to the sea by equipping their ships with the corvus, or "raven"- a bridge for grappling and boarding an enemy galley.

Asians customarily fought with missiles, and preferred not to close with the enemy until victory looked certain (Keegan, 1993, 244). The Greeks praised those who fought at close quarters, while denigrating archery. Homer's Iliad portrays archers as ineffective or even cowardly, while praising the spear fighters. Archery, even from the Persians, was not very effective against heavy Greek armor.

However, the Eastern style of war as described by Sun Tzu is very effective. The North Vietnamese used it to drive the United States from Vietnam, even though their army could not meet the Americans on the battlefield. The Eastern style is characterized by patience, deception, and waiting for an opportunity. Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate, said, "If the nightengale won't sing, I'll wait until it does." He succeeded Oda Nobunaga and Totyotoma Hideyoshi by serving them faithfully until they died (leaving him with a large power base). Only then did he crush his last rival, Ishida Mitsunari, at the Battle of Sekigahara. (See the advice of General Wu Ch'i below.) James Clavell's Shogun describes these events: Yoshi Toranaga is Ieyasu.
 

So which is superior? Whichever is most effective for the given situation!
 

"My sacrifice on Yggdrasill embodies the principles of the Hanged Man in the Tarot. The Hanged Man symbolizes self-sacrifice, possibly for personal growth. Pay attention to those ancient myths, legends, and old stories. Like Ravana the Demon King of the Ramayana, you must believe them just enough. They provide valuable insights into human societies and organizations, insights that stretch across millenia of history. I, Odin, know the reality behind the Tarot. It's not magical, it's psychological. I, the patron god of the Jarls (ruling class, that's managers and leaders to you) am the Magician, the Emperor, the King of Swords, and the Hanged Man. The Magician represents 'ability to translate ideas into action, to use psychic powers to advantage; skill, diplomacy, self-confidence.' The Emperor symbolizes 'Authority. One who is master of his emotions; active intelligence able to realize ideas.' The King of Swords stands for technical competence: 'An authority whether in the field of medicine, law or government; brilliant and wise.' The Hanged Man stands for self-sacrifice for the sake of personal development: 'One must die to the social order to dispense justice or to continue on one's path of growth. Can denote spirituality, intuition, self-sacrifice.'" (Card descriptions from Aquarian Tarot Deck. 1975. Morgan Press Incorporated, Dobbs Ferry, NY)

"The card for Strength represents 'Courage, magnaminity, persistence, patience, spiritual power. Able to offset any bad luck in surrounding cards.' It's what Machiavelli called virtù and the ancient Greeks arete. It's Tom Peters' bias for action. It offsets bad luck because it makes you the master of your own destiny. Its opposite is Machiavelli's ozio: indecisiveness, lack of energy, and indolence. Ozio leaves you at the mercy of external forces and Fortune's capriciousness."