sentences:  On October 18, 1945, the 4th Division of the communist New Fourth Army, with the help of local communist militias, launched their assault in the Houmajia region of Lingbi (灵壁) County of Anhui, China, after the nationalist 33rd Division guarding the region refused to surrender.The nationalist 33rd Division was the former nationalists turned Japanese puppet regime force rejoined nationalist after World War II, and they were ordered by Chiang Kai-shek's regime to hold on the land they controlled, and not to surrender to the communists, and fight off communists if necessary until Chiang could deploy his own troops to the region, and the 15th Brigade, 16th Brigade, and the 25th Brigade of the nationalist 33rd Division were assigned to station outside the city wall.After fierce fights, the nationalist front collapsed as the casualties exceeded over a thousand, and the demoralized nationalists gave up the fight and fled to the town of Lingbi (灵壁) County, seeking shelter behind the city wall, and thus leaving vast rural area to the enemy.