I'm not suggesting lying...however, you need to show your enthusiasm for the job, and focus on why the next time will be different (why it won't happen again).
I always use family emergency and if they ask why I would say my father was on his death bed.
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.