Oklahoma was still mired in economic depression on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland, igniting World War II. Six years of Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal had provided assistance to Oklahomans but had not produced prosperity. The next six years of worldwide conflict freed the Sooner State from the grip of the Great Depression and produced change on a scale seldom equaled in American history.
The overall purpose of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech was "<span>to inform the nation and the world that the US is ready for war if necessary" since he wanted to inspire confidence. </span>
