If a high school graduate does a lot of reading will they be as intelligent as a college graduate?

It's very much a possibility. Still, remember it's not just reading. It depends on what you are reading, how much you retain of what you have read, and the ability to use that knowledge appropriately.

Sometimes intelligence and wisdom, which is the ability to use knowledge appropriately do not go hand in hand. Thus, you can have all the intelligence in the world, and still not be of any benefit to society.

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.