Möngke, taking seriously the legacy of world conquest, decides to place primary emphasis on completing the conquest of Asia, particularly China; Europe is to be dealt with later.

Because the Song have had the benefit of a lull of nearly ten years in which to recover
and to reorganize, conquering Asia has become more difficult than it would have been earlier.

Möngke himself takes command, but he also places great responsibility on his younger brother, Kublai.

Another brother, Hulagu, is sent to Iran to renew the expansion of Mongol control in Southwest Asia.

Möngke encourages Batu to raid Central Europe, but does not send him additional resources.

Thus, although Batu's armies raid deep into Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia, and again overrun Serbia and Bulgaria, these campaigns are not so important as the ones being undertaken in Southeast Asia and Southwest Asia.