I spent some time in Penang and KL, and could get by only speaking English. Of course the first language in Malay in Malaysia, but I found it way easier to get by on just English there than I did in Thailand. But not everyone speaks it, and if you go to an establishment that never sees foreigners, don't expect good English.
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.