I think that you should just tell the person that you don't want to go with them instead of just saying yes to them because you don't want to hurt their feelings. By saying yes, that person may think that you like them and it may lead to future problems. If he asks why then just explain to him that you wished to be asked by someone else or whatever else may be the reason why you don't want to go with him.
I've had a friend that got asked to a dance by some girl that he didn't like but he had to say yes because her friends were there at the time and he didn't want to be mean. With doing that, she thought he liked her and rumors began to spread but at the same time he began to talk bad about her and from there, things just went bad. So in this situation, honesty is the best answer.
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.