On this day, 78 years ago, January 29, 1947 (January 8, 1947 in the lunar calendar), the United States gave up its peace efforts against China. On January 29, 1947, as the civil war in China had escalated to dangerous proportions, the United States decided to abandon peaceful mediation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. The United States will withdraw most of its 12000 troops stationed in China and will cease U.S. contact with the three-member committee. The decision amounts to an acknowledgement of the failure of Secretary of State Marshall's mediation attempt. Still, Washington said it would continue to promote the reunification of China, saying: "We remain hopeful, but we are not particularly optimistic about the current situation."