This happens to almost everybody. I myself, have a full course load in university, as well as a part time job...and barely find the time to spend with my friends. More and more, my past group of friends has dwindeld from about 12 guys to about 4.
So I know exactly how you feel, but this is just the consequence of growing up. You get a job, get a boyfriend/girlfriend, start a family...time for friends just slips away. Especially if you live in north america where extra time is rare.
As far as the relationships between you and your friends, try to rely less on friends who don't support you or cant understand you. I know that sometimes its hard to understand why it happened, but somewhere along the line you lost a common base with your friends. Live your life for yourself....REAL friends will respect that, and will gladly live their own within reach.
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.