Volunteering at a local charity or nonprofit organization will provide you with work experience and references to include on applications/resume. Not sure what places might be local to you, but you can either check your phone directory for a list, or go to VolunteerMatch.org or Idealist.org - should help you find something local and suited to your interests.
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.