Motivational Insight: Many tragedies arise from treating success as the only goal, yet within contingency plans lie the desire to win, opportunities for success, and a composed mindset. Notably, our civilization of five thousand years has not undergone the repeated disruptions seen in the West, and this has fostered a spirit of steadfastness.
Years ago, He Yingqin, residing in Taiwan as a full general, visited the Netherlands. The Dutch Ministry of Defense hosted him and showed him their defense facilities. After the tour, they presented a detailed war response plan, which impressed He greatly with its thoroughness. What puzzled him more was another, even more detailed plan placed in a prominent position, titled "Surrender Plan." He was confused because, in Chinese culture, surrender is considered shameful, and planning for it could demoralize troops, a grave error in warfare.
The Dutch calmly explained: "We do not see surrender as shameful. After carefully analyzing the enemy's strength and the situation, if victory comes at too high a cost or is impossible, we will surrender. We do not want stubborn resistance to bring catastrophic destruction; We need to preserve our strength and maintain national integrity. We leave the land, buildings, rivers, and mountains to our descendants, bide our time, and pursue victory when we are truly strong."
The surrender plan is, in fact, a preparation for future success.
During World War II, after the Allies successfully landed in Normandy, Supreme Commander General Eisenhower delivered a speech: "We have successfully landed, the German forces have been defeated, and this is the result of everyone's efforts. I extend my thanks and congratulations." Yet before the landing, he had prepared a contrasting speech—the failure address: "I am deeply saddened to announce that our landing has failed. This is entirely due to my decision and command errors, and I am willing to take full responsibility and apologize to everyone."
These two speeches reflect the leader's multifaceted sentiment and strategic foresight.
