I think there is still large section of people in modern India still have beliefs in reincarnation concept. Indians living or lived abroad are even more certain about these concepts. Moreover, I think people are more certain about it now than before, even though they do not have scientific basis for it, they can only justify it based upon certain theories or religon or logic or whatever else.
How many of these people really go into this topic is questionable, because majority of these people touch this subject, when someone dies or something happens in similar lines in their life. Otherwise people are pretty busy with daily stuff. For example, I lived in India, travelled in almost all significant parts of India.
I have been living abroad since couple of years, have been travelling, meeting various ethical people with different ideaologies, cultures etc. I do have first hand experience of different religious practisess and also being in the field of science and technology, I do have certain level of curiosity about reincarnation. I myself, never had firm belief in reincarnation, but the same I never denied reincarnation as well. I have had discussed this topic with many people and majority of them do not have any scientific or logical justification for or against reincarnation.
I think most of the Indians believe in reincarnation. Adi Sankara wrote in his famous Bhaja Govindam song: Punarapi jananam,punarapi maranam punarapi janani jatale shayanam meaning a soul undergoes innumerable cycles of births and deaths, until it realizes God(in the very last birth) and ultimately unites or merges with Him.
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.