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Fatal Crossroads
On December 17, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, more than eighty unarmed
American soldiers were shot down after having surrendered to an SS tank column near the small crossroads town of Malmédy, Belgium. In vivid prose with revealing details, Fatal Crossroads reconstructs the previously untold story of the largest single atrocity committed against American POWs on the Western front in World War II.
American soldiers were shot down after having surrendered to an SS tank column near the small crossroads town of Malmédy, Belgium. In vivid prose with revealing details, Fatal Crossroads reconstructs the previously untold story of the largest single atrocity committed against American POWs on the Western front in World War II.
390 pages, Paperback
First published December 16, 2006
24 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Danny S. Parker
10 books18 followersDanny Parker is a life-long World War II historian with a strong focus on the Battle of the Bulge and it's major participants. He is a former research consultant the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff on the Battle of the Bulge. He has published numerous articles and books on the subject and has designed three simulation games on the Ardennes campaign. In addition to his study of World War II Mr. Parker is interested in Zen, low-energy housing and good coffee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 3, 2021
This is an extremely well researched and very detailed book about the Malmedy Massacre where 84 US Army prisoners, mostly from the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion, were gunned downed by members of the SS serving under Joachim Peiper during the opening stages of the German Ardennes offensive on 17 December 1944. Although many men were killed, a surprising number of men survived the massacre which is odd seeing as these SS men were old hands from the brutality of the Eastern Front.
The author covers the massacre from both American and German viewpoint through witness statements, personal interviews and the official reports after the event. Good background about the events leading up to it, as well as the men, both victims and perpetrators, and the units involved are given. The stories of those who survived and escaped during and after the massacre are brilliantly told and hair raising stuff, yet the book is let down for me personally by all the minute detail the author included.
This is definitely the concise history of the massacre, and if you are interested in all the detail you will not be disappointed. This story also again shows what the margins between life and death can be and how fate can intervene for good or bad.
The author covers the massacre from both American and German viewpoint through witness statements, personal interviews and the official reports after the event. Good background about the events leading up to it, as well as the men, both victims and perpetrators, and the units involved are given. The stories of those who survived and escaped during and after the massacre are brilliantly told and hair raising stuff, yet the book is let down for me personally by all the minute detail the author included.
This is definitely the concise history of the massacre, and if you are interested in all the detail you will not be disappointed. This story also again shows what the margins between life and death can be and how fate can intervene for good or bad.
May 22, 2012
I never would have thought of the story of the Malmedy Massacre as "untold". Reading the appendix it's clear that the story has been told many times and that many of these tellings are contradictory. Some have said that no such massacre took place.
This book is a detailed story of that day, told often in the words of the participants - American, German, Belgian. At times it is quite repetitious - we read the words of many Americans describing the first two pistol shots, the machine guns opening up, everybody falling. This scene is described from all angles, over and over. I applaud the thoroughness of the author. Also, there are a number of nice maps and diagrams - without them I'd have been tempted to arrange toy cars to make better sense of the events.
This book is a detailed story of that day, told often in the words of the participants - American, German, Belgian. At times it is quite repetitious - we read the words of many Americans describing the first two pistol shots, the machine guns opening up, everybody falling. This scene is described from all angles, over and over. I applaud the thoroughness of the author. Also, there are a number of nice maps and diagrams - without them I'd have been tempted to arrange toy cars to make better sense of the events.
April 10, 2020
I have a strong interest in military history and I knew a little of the Malmedy Massacre during World War II but I wanted to know more on this subject. I was hoping Danny Parker's novel Fatal Crossroads would help me understand it more. Parker is to be commended for his comprehensive research, but unfortunately his storytelling suffers from too much repetition. He gives us the story that caused the massacre but keeping track of all the places and people can be daunting. The book jumps all over the place and I found Parker repeating himself in describing the event over and over. It was very hard to follow chronologically. I got to point that I didn't learn anything new than what I already knew of the massacre. Its and important story to tell, I just wish it was told better.
October 29, 2015
An excellent and well researched study of the massacre of 80 US POWs by elements of Kampfgruppe Pieper, 1 SS_Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler Panzer Division during the Battle of the Bulge - so well researched that Parker is able to list the vehicles and the names of their crews in the march order of the Spitzenkompanie of the Kampfgruppe, as well as the vehicles in the victimized convoy. He makes a strong case for a deliberate massacre at the order of Werner Poetschke, convincingly refuting revisionists arguments while acknowledging the failures and abuses of post-war war crimes prosecutors. Excellent study of the infamous incident.
February 10, 2013
Parker, the go-to authority on the Battle of the Bulge, outdoes himself with fine narrative and research in this book on the Malmedy Massacre. The first book on the subject to truly delve into both the U.S. and the German sides of this tragic story and balance the two with the hard facts. Perhaps a bit more information covering the rather controversial trials of the accused (Peiper, Fleps, etc.) at Dachau would have rounded out the book at the end. Excellent maps and illustrations. Highly recommend.
October 23, 2016
Not badly written, but in order to make its case about the massacre, it becomes very repetitive when giving the witness accounts of so many different soldiers. It would be more interesting if the witness accounts were used more to drive a narrative rather than continuously go over the same stuff again and again.
May 3, 2013
I'm giving this book five stars because I believe it earns the statement, "it was amazing." Not because it's easy to read, but because of how Danny Parker takes the reader through the nitty-gritty details of the so-called Malmedy Massacre. Parker builds the story of events through a large collection of both German and American personal accounts, all heavily footnoted as to the sources. Once he gets past the preliminary chapters leading to the incident, Parker steps the reader through time bit by bit, alternating chapters between the American and German points of view. Each chapter contains multiple individual recollections of the events, told one after the other in bite-sized chunks. This organization doesn't necessarily make for smooth reading, however. To me, it brings to mind watching a football game in which every single play is replayed in slow motion, repeatedly, from a multitude of camera angles. Nonetheless, I found myself fascinated with the details provided in the description of the events. Besides the German and American perspectives, Parker also includes one chapter dedicated to the accounts of various Belgian citizens swept up in the event. The only thing I wish Danny Parker had done is to provide a single, compiled moment-by-moment account of the events as he believes they occurred, based upon his research. Instead, the reader is mostly left to do the reconstruction themselves, based upon the multitude of personal accounts provided. Nonetheless, after reading this book I can now say that I know the details of what happened that dreadful day at that little Belgian crossroad in 1944.
September 21, 2013
We briefly touched on WWII during history when I was in school (we definitely should have touched on it a bit more in my opinion) and because my dad fought in WWII and was severely injured in the cleanup after the Battle of the Bulge, I have become very interested in learning all I can about the particular time my dad was there. So this is not my first book on the battle and the aftermath, and I am sure it will not be my last.
I have come up with several questions I want to ask my dad and plan to do so when I see him in a couple of weeks, if he won't mind talking about this sad part of his life. My dad is 91 and still lives in the small coal-mining town where I was born and raised.
Mr. Parker does a wonderful job in his research and writing of the battle and it was so great to read the accounts of those that survived this battle. Some of them survived it better than others, which is not surprising once you read this book. Parker's research and interviews clearly show that a war crime happened at Malmedy, since the orders and decision to kill the American POW's were given even before the battle started. The question will always remain though as to who really gave that order, SS leader Jochen Peiper or someone else?
December 17, 1944, the Battle of the Bulge, where more than 80 unarmed US soldiers were shot down after having surrendered to an SS unit near Malmedy, Belgium. 40 soldiers survived the gun shots, but not the memories that haunted them during their lifetime, some more than others.
I have come up with several questions I want to ask my dad and plan to do so when I see him in a couple of weeks, if he won't mind talking about this sad part of his life. My dad is 91 and still lives in the small coal-mining town where I was born and raised.
Mr. Parker does a wonderful job in his research and writing of the battle and it was so great to read the accounts of those that survived this battle. Some of them survived it better than others, which is not surprising once you read this book. Parker's research and interviews clearly show that a war crime happened at Malmedy, since the orders and decision to kill the American POW's were given even before the battle started. The question will always remain though as to who really gave that order, SS leader Jochen Peiper or someone else?
December 17, 1944, the Battle of the Bulge, where more than 80 unarmed US soldiers were shot down after having surrendered to an SS unit near Malmedy, Belgium. 40 soldiers survived the gun shots, but not the memories that haunted them during their lifetime, some more than others.
August 8, 2016
A really well written and engaging history of the Malmedy Massacre. Author Danny S. Parker uses a lot of interviews and archival records to bring about what happened on December 17, 1944 in a field near Malmedy, Belgium. What sets this apart from your usual military history was Parker's focus not only on what happened, but why it happened. Rather than merely saying "The SS were bad", he brings together how the SS unit involved had been fighting in Russia and how they already had a record of war crimes. At the same time he explores the complicated relationship between the Americans and Belgiums and how those relationships would bring about mercy and tragedy after the massacre. Another great part of the book is the appendix where Parker shares the names of those killed, escaped, the makeup of both German and American units involved, and brief highlights about the post-war lives of the individuals he interviewed. He also gives a brief historiography of what has been written about the Malmedy Massacre and where his work factors into it.
March 10, 2015
I really wanted to be engaged in this book; I read about the Malmedy Massacre briefly in another book and that was why I picked this one up. The author is the leading expert on the event, though, and I think he got a little too caught up in showing how much he knew than relaying the events to the readers. While every survivor and victim is important because it was a real event, it's not possible for me to keep track of all of the people and places that Parker talks about. All the names and places just blurred together and I read through the three chapters of the actual massacre and still wasn't sure what had happened because it alternated between the wounded, the Germans, the Americans elsewhere, and other members of the group not present. It was just too confusing and not very well written.
February 16, 2015
Knowing Danny Parker and his previous books, I was hooked on his "Fatal Crossroads". I appreciate the extremely difficult task it took in organizing this complex book - the time frames, the accounts from the witnesses, the victims and the German SS troops who watched and who also shot the Americans. Nothing is left to wonder about. That years and years of research went into this book is obvious. Danny is masterful in all details. Yes, you have to follow the blood trail - yes it is complex, and it's not a light read. But this is one you'll remember. The horror as the soldiers realize they are going to be killed - you can hear the sliding of the bolts, the clink of metal, the cold snow, the smell of blood. Danny, you are a truly great writer and this task was not pleasant. It needs to be told and told like no one has done before.
My admiration,
Regards,
Pat
My admiration,
Regards,
Pat
December 26, 2011
This is a very gripping account of a tragic incident that occured during the opening phase of the Battle of the Bulge toward the end of WWII. The intentional massacre of captured American soldiers by elemenys of a Waffen SS armored unit and the subsequent attempts at revisiionist attempts to cover it up are illusrative of moderen warfare at its worst. Much of the story is told in the words of German participants and American survivors. This results in some redundancy but is also illustrative of how eyewitnesses see the same event but all report it somewhat differently. This is an extremely well researched and documented book- there are over 125 pages of appendices and notes. Don't fail to read appendix IV as it pretty much ies everything together. A compelling read.
January 4, 2014
I bought this book because I was interested in learning more about Malmedy. but the writing was terrible. in an effort to be thorough the storytelling became disjointed with frequent backtracking and the retelling of previous episodes. as such, keeping the chronology straight became the focus instead of learning about the massacre.
December 25, 2022
Thorough and compelling book about a famous war crime
This book deals with a difficult and horrible subject: the mass murder of American POWs near Malmedy, Belgium by Hitler’s SS in December 1944. It is meticulously researched and contains many quotations and observations from witnesses to the crime, including former SS soldiers who somehow avoided justice, and US soldiers who miraculously managed to escape the slaughter. Parker is a compelling storyteller, and explores the subject of who actually gave the illegal order. There is an interesting passage near the end of the book suggesting that even Hitler thought that the incident was troubling, which, if true, is astonishing given that he was obviously a psychopath. I would’ve liked to see that story developed a bit more.
There are some imperfections in the book, mostly having to do with editing. At least in the Kindle edition, there are a few typos. More significantly, there is a long stretch in the book that is extremely repetitive, as the author repaints the scene over and over again from square one based upon the recollections of people who were there. That said, there are differences in memory that are worth exploring, and many valuable nuggets in the book. It’s a worthwhile addition to the library of anyone who’s into WW2 history.
This book deals with a difficult and horrible subject: the mass murder of American POWs near Malmedy, Belgium by Hitler’s SS in December 1944. It is meticulously researched and contains many quotations and observations from witnesses to the crime, including former SS soldiers who somehow avoided justice, and US soldiers who miraculously managed to escape the slaughter. Parker is a compelling storyteller, and explores the subject of who actually gave the illegal order. There is an interesting passage near the end of the book suggesting that even Hitler thought that the incident was troubling, which, if true, is astonishing given that he was obviously a psychopath. I would’ve liked to see that story developed a bit more.
There are some imperfections in the book, mostly having to do with editing. At least in the Kindle edition, there are a few typos. More significantly, there is a long stretch in the book that is extremely repetitive, as the author repaints the scene over and over again from square one based upon the recollections of people who were there. That said, there are differences in memory that are worth exploring, and many valuable nuggets in the book. It’s a worthwhile addition to the library of anyone who’s into WW2 history.
December 12, 2018
'Fatal Crossroads' was just that--fatal, considering its brutal reality of the blood lust of Hitler's SS men and their total disregard for human life, except, of course, when it pertained to themselves after the war and standing trial for war crimes, then the outlook on mercy took a different form all together.
Danny S. Parker lets his surviving characters tell their own account of what happened at the crossroads, and though repetitive at times it was, nonetheless, necessary to see the tragedy from all angles. It is a shocking blend of courage, heroics, survival and on the part of the Nazi's, blatant cowardice. The suffering alone, on the part of surviving GIs adds credit to the bravery and perseverance of the American spirit.
The deeper tragedy though, in some respects, is how the Melmedy massacre followed the survivors home, haunting them, some even to the point of insanity. Also how the bulk of the murdering SS men managed to escape their own execution by too often lengthy and sympathetic trials, allowing many of them to live out their lives in more peace then the haunted survivors.
Danny S. Parker lets his surviving characters tell their own account of what happened at the crossroads, and though repetitive at times it was, nonetheless, necessary to see the tragedy from all angles. It is a shocking blend of courage, heroics, survival and on the part of the Nazi's, blatant cowardice. The suffering alone, on the part of surviving GIs adds credit to the bravery and perseverance of the American spirit.
The deeper tragedy though, in some respects, is how the Melmedy massacre followed the survivors home, haunting them, some even to the point of insanity. Also how the bulk of the murdering SS men managed to escape their own execution by too often lengthy and sympathetic trials, allowing many of them to live out their lives in more peace then the haunted survivors.
July 10, 2025
This book covers a heinous war crime committed by the Nazi war machine against members of the US military. Members of the Waffen SS murdered 84 US Field Artillery Battalion members who had surrendered due to being severely outnumbered. These 84 men were added to another group of prisoners of war, bringing the total to 120. They were machine gunned to death. A few managed to flee and survive, eventually shedding light on the murders. This disgraceful act was part of the Nuremberg trials.
This book was sad. War is never a pretty thing. People that fight in wars have someone that cares about them, no matter what side they are one. Families of military service members worry and wish the best for the person they know. Civilian populations are devastated by war. Nothing about war is nice, but there should be some code of conduct amongst people. The SS certainly violated any type of conduct in this situation. I am glad some managed to survive the ordeal to help bring justice to those who were murdered. This book was really good, despite the morbid content.
This book was sad. War is never a pretty thing. People that fight in wars have someone that cares about them, no matter what side they are one. Families of military service members worry and wish the best for the person they know. Civilian populations are devastated by war. Nothing about war is nice, but there should be some code of conduct amongst people. The SS certainly violated any type of conduct in this situation. I am glad some managed to survive the ordeal to help bring justice to those who were murdered. This book was really good, despite the morbid content.
July 12, 2021
Very detailed account of the massacre at Malmedy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Author Daniel Parker examined official records and accounts from both the Americans who survived the encounter and the German soldiers who perpetrated it to establish that a war crime had been committed. As history was been rewritten over the years and the shifting blame for who caused the fatal action, Parker's research clearly established the sequence of events that led to the disaster. It is amazing the number of German soldier and officers who were actively involved in the massacre were actually still alive to be interviewed after being tried and convicted of war crimes.
February 29, 2020
War is Hell
A detailed account of a horrific chapter in WWIl. Personal accounts of being gunned down after surrender to the Germans. The horrors of war and its toll of good young soldiers both those that gave their lives for our freedoms and those who survived and suffered in silence when they returned home
A detailed account of a horrific chapter in WWIl. Personal accounts of being gunned down after surrender to the Germans. The horrors of war and its toll of good young soldiers both those that gave their lives for our freedoms and those who survived and suffered in silence when they returned home
October 5, 2020
As someone else pointed out, the narrative is repetitive since the the massacre is told from the standpoint of each survivor and there is necessarily a lot of overlap. I'm not sure there is a way around that. A truly complete account of the infamous massacre of unarmed American prisoners by Nazi SS troops in the early stage of the Battle of the Bulge.
January 12, 2020
Wow so much information I didn't know about. Crazy world and some very tough men here.
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January 12, 2022Excellent historical recounting of an incredible tragedy.
November 16, 2023
Very interesting and disturbing book, so sad
August 23, 2025
Good book about the WW2 Malmedy massacre. Well researched and easy read.
May 7, 2015
This was a good book; could have been a 4-star except for several things. The author may be the leading expert on the massacre, but he is not much of a writer...the chronology jumped back and forth. I kept thinking, "Wait a minute, didn't that already happen?" before realizing he was telling the story from a different perspective. The footnotes (found in the back of the book) accounted for about 1/3 of the 400+ pages. I think it would have been better to have incorporated some of the material found in the notes into th narrative itself. The author also uses some words in an odd manner - I have often been unruly, but I have never acted "ruly" as he mentioned in one sentence. I will be using that word now, though! The information was good and a lot of research went into the book. Another tragic example of the world of war. There is a great quote by Pierre Boissier in the book- "...a soldier is out into a world which does not have a common standard with any other world."
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November 26, 2012I wanted to hear more about the investigation and the trial. It was referred to several times, so I would have liked to learn more about it. I did enjoy the maps included in the text, but would have appreciated a larger map of the Ardennes and the battle itself. Very thorough of the incident itself, but I also would have liked more on the unit that was massacred.
February 11, 2012
This is a very gripping story told in terrific detail. First time reading Danny S. Parker and he tells a story extremely well. I minored in History in my undergraduate degree and one of the strong interests that I had was WWII and the battles. This is very descriptive.
October 20, 2016
Good rad, good research
Impressively researched and fascinating story-telling, if somewhat repetitive eye-witness accounts. Sometimes there's a '...wood for the trees' factor. But would definitely read this author again.
Impressively researched and fascinating story-telling, if somewhat repetitive eye-witness accounts. Sometimes there's a '...wood for the trees' factor. But would definitely read this author again.
Want to read
January 7, 2013Cspan 3 American History
December 27, 2015
Ultimately a pretty disappointing read, despite the author's obvious hard work in researching the subject. Very little more to say.
December 28, 2021
Gelezen vanuit een grote interesse in deze gebeurtenis, maar jammer genoeg een spijtige copy-paste vertaling wat het lezen ervan erbarmelijk maakt.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews