Yeah, the Hobbit takes place before Lord of the Rings, and was written and published quite a few years earlier. It's not absolutely crucial that you read it first (essential info is covered in LotR) but then it won't be as much fun for you reading the Hobbit! You might as well read it first; it's much, much shorter!
Yes it's a prequel to the trilogy, and The Hobbit is also going to be a trilogy. I suggest you watch them in the order they came out. It has a much better effect.
Hope this helps:).
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.