Sun Tzu's classic is profound and absolutely clear. Although ostensibly on military strategy, it is a treatise on the command of a hierarchical organisation in the face of conflict, and as such is invaluable in the worlds of politics and business. Sun Tzu, also known as Sun Wu or Sunzi, was an ancient Chinese military strategist believed to be the author of the acclaimed military text, 'The Art of War'. Details about Sun Tzu's background and life are uncertain, although he is believed to have lived C 544-496 BCE. Sun Tzu believed in the use of the military sciences to effect outcomes that would result in peace. Through 'The Art of War', Sun Tzu's theories and strategies have influenced military leaders and campaigns throughout time, including the samurai of ancient and early-modern Japan, and more recently Ho Chi Minh of the Viet Cong and American generals Norman Swarzkopf, Jr. and Colin Powell during the Persian Gulf War in the 1990s.