I'm not sure they do. Everything is instantaneous these days - just click or push a button. Because of this young folks have not been trained to delve deeper or to seek roots.
The lessons of history become an oversight since there is no immediate gratification to knowing what led them to this point. I also think American sociey, in particular, does not appreciate or emphasize the gifts of memory and wisdom available from the senior population. Youth rules and that places history in the background.
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.