Map of the prisoner of war camps in the United States. Prisoners of War (POW) were members of the armed forces who were captured by the opposing side during combat. The rights and treatment of POWs were outlined in the 1929 Geneva Convention. The word “prisoner” is misleading as POWs were not prosecuted for participating in the war nor was their detainment a form of punishment. Their detainment was to prevent their further participation in the war. POWs arrived in the U.S.by ship from Britain, France, and North Africa; these nations were unable to detain any more men due to facility and food shortages. Courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
