Eastern Military Thought

War and warfare have been part of human history. Its study is demanding, intellectually and emotionally, but it cannot be ignored. War theory reflects the way societies create notions of their identity, nationality, and territoriality. It appears that the West has looked at the subject from their narrow perspective. Yet there have been significant writings from the East which form part of its military traditions and thought. These documents merit greater understanding in the shadow of clashes amongst civilisations. Every culture has developed along different historical paths, and a study of the military thought of other cultures can prove useful to the understanding of their concepts of warfighting.