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Ancient Military Strategy Seven Create Something out of Nothing

Make a false move, not to pass it for a genuine one but to transform it into a genuine one after the enemy has been convinced of its falsity. Genuine strength grows under the cover of false appearance, just as yin growing to the extreme transforms into yang.

This idiom is generally used today to describe someone who makes a claim, usually an accusation that is totally groundless.

In warfare, it is often necessary to feign maneuvers to distract and mislead the enemy. However, deception like this is easy to recognize and readily becomes ineffectual. Besides, the enemy can be defeated only by genuine actions, not false moves. Therefore, a wise war strategist know not only how to deceive the enemy by false movements but also when to transform them into genuine combat operations.

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