An English major is perhaps the most useful of all degrees because it allows you to try everthing and anything. English majors have gone through years and years of great, and not so great literature, giving them insight into a diverse collection of human thought. Just the act of perseverance needed to endure the readings and rantings and writing reguired to complete the degree shows a tenacity found in very few curriculum.
There are many obvious occupations connected to an English degree but don't be limited to those. Your ability to read, write and communicate open all the doors to you. English majors are like the Jedi of the academic world for they can do it all.
Trust your instincts and go wherever your heart, or the force leads you.
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.