In the midst of the Cold War, Science Fiction became the most popular genre of literature among Soviet readers (Major 73). There are many reasons as to why this was the case, but one reason in particular was the anti-establishment sentiment found within the genre: “Science fiction, just as in the west, had a subversive potential” (Major 74). During the Stalin years, Science Fiction was under attack by the Soviet Government. Under Stalin’s regime, literature had been heavily censored and regulated. In a speech to the Soviet Writers’ Congress of 1934, Andrei Zhdanov emphasized the role literature had in the new nation, saying: “The key to the success of soviet literature is to be sought for in the success of socialist construction” (Zhdanov 3). To Zhdanov (who was an integral part of the cultural thought and propaganda in the soviet union), soviet literature was a radically new form of writing, untainted by capitalism. Furthermore, it was to be used as a way of promoting soviet ideals and reflecting the triumphs of the communist system. To the Stalin regime, Science Fiction could not easily fit into this model for the new soviet literature. It presented various themes, such as utopia and dystopia, that did not go well with the official vision of the future propagated by the state. The SF of the Stalin years did not make many grand predictions, instead “revolving around… clear extensions of existing technology” (Major 76), functioning as a way to hail the technology of the time instead of speculation looking towards the future. Following the death of Stalin, the regulations on SF were lessened, to the point where SF was the least regulated form of literature in the Soviet Union. In this period, known as “the thaw,” SF returned to ideas such as utopia, and once more became a seriously speculative genre. Many more western authors became available to the soviets in this time, such as Isaac Asiimov, Ray Bradbury, and Kurt Vonnegut (Major 79). The combination of western influence, alongside the loosening of restrictions, made SF in the Eastern Bloc more critical of soviet practices, and allowed the presentation of alternatives to the “official” future designed by the government.