BAUGNEZ CROSSROADS

KAMPFGRUPPE PEIPER ATTACKS BAUGNEZ CROSSROADS - WHAT IF...

This is a semi-historical scenario based upon an attack by Kampfgruppe Peiper against U.S. forces at Baugnez crossroads during the Battle of the Bulge. The real battle was a complete tactical mismatch favoring the Germans that resulted in the infamous "Malmedy Massacre."

Kampfgruppe Peiper was a powerful armored battlegroup of the 1st SS-Panzer Division, with 117 tanks (including a company of King Tigers), 149 halftracks, eighteen 105mm guns, six 150mm guns, 30 anti-aircraft units, and 4,800 men. At noon on Sunday, December 17, 1944, leading elements of this Waffen-SS column surprised and quickly overran a truck convoy of lightly armed U.S. artillery spotters who were traveling in bitter cold and drizzling snow to reinforce the 106th Infantry Division at St. Vith.

After a brief firefight, the U.S. troops surrendered. Later, approximately 120 of them were lined up in a field by the crossroads, where they were machine-gunned in cold blood by Peiper's SS men (the official death count was 86 GI's). This shooting of unarmed prisoners was dubbed the "Malmedy Massacre" by U.S. authorities, who immediately broadcast it to all American units as a warning of what to expect from German forces if they surrendered.

Peiper's quick victory at Baugnez enabled his battlegroup to continue its rapid advance toward the Meuse river. It was finally cornered and destroyed at La Gleize one week later on Christmas Eve.

The tragic events at Baugnez raise fascinating questions about what might have happened if Kampfgruppe Peiper had been stopped or significantly delayed at the crossroads. On December 17th, the Kampfgruppe was the only major German assault column that had broken through U.S. front lines to threaten the American supply dumps, headquarters units, support troops, and undefended bridges leading to the Meuse. A delay at Baugnez could have substantially altered the course of the Battle of the Bulge.

What if the Kampfgruppe had arrived earlier in the day when a major U.S. battlegroup (CCR of the 7th Armored Division) was passing through on its way to St. Vith? What might have happened if Baugnez, a key intersection of the main roads to Malmedy, Waimes, and St. Vith, had been defended by more than two U.S. sentries (one of whom was away on break) when Peiper arrived? What if there had been more warning time or the attack had come from a different direction?

This scenario presents some alternative possibilities that might have changed the outcome at Baugnez, or at least have made it a fair fight. The terrain features, landscape, layout of the buildings, and road network for Baugnez in December 1944 are all accurate (within the limits of the Combat Mission map editor). So are the ground conditions and weather. The German and U.S. units in this scenario correctly portray forces that were available near Baugnez at the time of the real battle.

Certain aspects of the real attack on Baugnez have been altered to make the battle and its outcome more challenging. Due to these scenario design changes, you cannot be sure what lies ahead, even if you are familiar with the history of the real battle.

The most critical factor in this scenario is time, just as it was on December 17, 1944. The actual battle at Baugnez was over in less than 15 minutes. You will have just 18 minutes to find out if you can change history.

DESIGN NOTE: Send any comments on this scenario to Jake Chesson at jake3315@yahoo.com.

I visited the memorial to U.S. victims at Baugnez crossroads in August 2001 and 2002. Today, Baugnez is a busy traffic intersection. However many Americans and others still come to pay their respects at the excellent memorial site maintained by the Belgians. My visits helped me to better appreciate the terror faced by those young troops on that dismal winter day in December 1944.

PRIMARY SOURCES:

"Time for Trumpets"; Charles MacDonald

"Battle of the Bulge, Then and Now"; Jean Paul Pallud

"Battle of the Bulge"; Danny S. Parker

"The Ardennes Offensive"; Osprey Order of Battle Series

"A Tour of the Bulge Battlefield"; William Cavanagh

"Au pied des Fagnes" 1:25,000 topographic map; National Geographic Institute of Belgium