title: The Great SF Stories 2 (1940)
author: Isaac Asimov
description: The Great SF Stories 2 (1940) (Isaac Asimov Presents)
zlib_text: 
  
  
  # Foundation 2 - Foundation and Empire
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Title: Foundation 2 - Foundation and Empire
  
  
  Author: Asimov, Isaac
  
  
  THE STORY BEHIND THE “FOUNDATION”
  
  
  By ISAAC ASIMOV
  
  
  The date was August 1, 1941. World War II had been raging for two years.
  France had fallen, the Battle of Britain had been fought, and the Soviet Union
  had just been invaded by Nazi Germany. The bombing of Pearl Harbor was four
  months in the future.
  
  
  But on that day, with Europe in flames, and the evil shadow of Adolf Hitler
  apparently falling over all the world, what was chiefly on my mind was a
  meeting toward which I was hastening.
  
  
  I was 21 years old, a graduate student in chemistry at Columbia University,
  and I had been writing science fiction professionally for three years. In that
  time, I had sold five stories to John Campbell, editor of Astounding, and the
  fifth story, “Nightfall,” was about to appear in the September 1941 issue of
  the magazine. I had an appointment to see Mr. Campbell to tell him the 