Just touching a string mutes it and stops it vibrating. The string must be firmly against a solid surface at each end to "ring". Put your fingertip on a string half way between two frets and press hard enough so the string is held solidly against the frets.
It will sound as it should.
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.