You did not miss something, you are right. There is no way to reply to a comment directly. Like mentioned above, you can reply to your own answer and it will leave a comment below the last comment, but the person will not be notified about it unless they go back and check it manually.
This is one feature that I have been asking for ever since the beginning, but we still don't have it. It's not a huge problem, but it would be a lot better if there was an option to reply directly to comments. This way people would know when their comment is being replied to.
Just use the reply button on the question that someone is commenting on. It also helps to specify the user of the comment that you are trying to say something about by using the @ symbol. For example, @catt969 had a good question.
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.