 The initial communist success was totally unexpected by the nationalists, who was completely shocked by the rapid territorial expansion of the enemy.Chiang Kai-shek immediately ordered the commander-in-chief of the 5th Corps Li Tiejun (李铁军) to personally lead the nationalist Reorganized 3rd Division and the 20th Division totaling seven brigades to pursuit the communists for the subsequent elimination.The communists held a conference in the town of Nanzhao (南召) on November 8, 1947 and decided not to engage the technically superior nationalist adversary.