I suppose it depends on the definition of manual labor. As a writer, I don't do much lifting, unless you count encyclopedias and piles of books. Good question, though.
Yes, even working at a computer is manual labor, as it needs fingers to type on a keyboard, as we all do here. Some jobs require more manual labor, some less.
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.