What's the difference between meditating on something and just thinking about it?

It depends on what meditation you're talking about. It can be reflecting deeply on subject as you say but it can be buddhist meditation or any other of that kind where they try to keep their mind completely calm without a single thought in it.

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.