About satellites: Do they get very bright in the sky if they are hit with sunlight?

Yes satellites do reflect light, but most are too small to see. However, you can see the biggest man-made satellite, the International Space Station (ISS). From your description, and the location, I would say that the ISS is what you saw.To see the ISS, it needs to be reflecting sunlight while the sky directly above you is dark.

It is one of the brightest objects in the night sky and can be observed without a telescope. If you have a telescope, you can make out its details. The images below were captured by people with inexpensive telescopes linked to webcams.

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.