From 1941 to 1944, Fort Missoula served as a detention center for more than 1,000 Italians, more than 1,000 Japanese, and 22 German Nationalists. The Italians were World's Fair workers and civilian seamen whose ships had been impounded at the outbreak of war in Europe. The Japanese were prominent in their West Coast communities and were considered potentially dangerous. None in either group were ever charged with being or proven to be enemy agents. The men were interned and held at Fort Missoula without trial during World War II.