The process of a battle's defeat isn't uniform; it suddenly shifts from a balanced confrontation to a stage of collapse for one side.
Without knowing if the enemy is truly surrendering their last breath, no one is willing to reserve their reserves for the next battle.
This is a typical gambler's mentality: What if the enemy breaks first and is defeated? So everyone keeps pushing their chips onto the table, until they've lost everything.
A wise commander will judge the various performances of both sides during this process, then estimate the overall strength comparison, and avoid losing their last asset.
But often, even such wise individuals have no control over their decisions, as many other factors influence their choice: Knowing it is impossible yet still striving, such is life.
