Not the whole drive, but just the partition you are going to format. You may put your data on the 450GB partition if they're not all there yet. They'll be safe there.
Just make sure you label your drives very well so you won't make as mistake in selecting your data drive when you install the OS.
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.