Sounds like your WD 1 TB drive is going bad I had that same Issue with mine so I returned it and bought a Seagate 1.5 TB at wal-mart for around $70 it's call the Freeagent Desk. You should look into WD has had issues with their 1 TB drives.
You may had lost the driver for the external drive somehow try reinstall the driver for it or use a driver finder software to assist you with this possible missing driver.
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.