I'm not familiar much with SQL Server, but according to this: Excel file Import to Sql server 2008 - column limit for Excel is 255 which is far beyond your numbers. Most likely problem is in your data, but without having the example it's impossible to say what's wrong.
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.