World War II proved to be an enduring theme in literature by Soviet writers, particularly in work written by the generation who had experienced the war directly themselves. Yet in the years that followed the end of the war, many young writers returning from the front were silent. Much of what they wrote about the war only began to emerge over ten years after the victory had been won. While the war had been in progress there had been an immediate, lively, and prolific response to it, mostly in the form of poetry, journalism, or short stories. At the end of the war, however, war literature, with a few exceptions, became ponderous and formulaic. The reason for this change can be found in the way the Soviet state understood the role of writers and of literature. Writers were expected to serve the state by producing works on themes approved by the authorities, written in a plain, accessible style, which educated their readers “in the spirit of socialism.” The censors and the critics enforced strict controls over what could be published, and failure to conform could bring about serious consequences. While censorship continued to operate during the war, it had been relaxed to some extent, allowing writers more freedom in their work. As the war came to an end, the state began to tighten its control over literature once more. It was made clear to writers that the war was to be represented and interpreted in certain ways only. This period of repressive cultural control only came to an end after Stalin's death in 1953; significant changes came about after his successor, Nikita Khrushchev, made a speech in 1956 condemning Stalin and the “cult of personality” that had built up around him.