I only use assert s if they provide far better diagnostics than the error messages that I would get otherwise. Your third assert.
Asserts in your code are not nearly as useful as unittests. Do more of the latter, less of the former.
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.