I had a similar issue once - when PHP throws a 404 header, Apache generally won't make a 404 page for it. (Edit: It probably has to do with whether PHP outputs any text. I haven't really experimented with it much.) If you check the headers in your browser, you can see that the 404 header worked, even if the page is blank.
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.