Actually, your pc specs looks pretty good, not old, for gaming, I think you don't REALY need to buy a new pc. But if you really want to buy a platform for gaming then I suggest XBOX 360. Because it's pure for gaming and you will never have to upgrade your graphic card, processor, etc... for further gaming generation experience.
Buy XBOX 360, it's better XBOX doesn't meet requirements for games and that's the one BIG advantage for XBOX over PC, but one thing is that you need a HDTV with HDMI cable for smooth, nice graphics (you have HD TV with HDMI?), or buy PS3 SLIM, the best. ;).
Pc gaming is right now more sought after these days . Since Microsoft made both the xbox and the pc almost every game that works on xbox can be played on the pc except for halo 3 and halo reach which are basically the only reason to buy an xbox. But if your gonna buy a pc only for the sake of gaming then that would be a bad choice.
If you already have a pc which you don't use for gaming then I would suggest replacing your old pc with the one you mentioned or keeping your old pc and buying and xbox, because the xbox is more powerful but a lot less versatile as compared to the pc, because if you get a problem with the xbox and its gone for good while a pc can be easily fixed . But I urge you to consider the PS3 which has proven to be a lot better than the xbox.
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.