History buffs, need help fast!

I have a paper which needs to be written soon. It’s a fictional love story where the main character needs to make a decision between the instant gratification of a lustful relationship or an uncertain, less-probable love (in the more powerful senses of the word).
I’m told there has to be a research element to this assignment, however. I’ve tossed around the idea of puting the story in a historical setting but I think that would detract from the main plot line.
What I want to do is incorperate a metaphor. The main character, while dealing with all this romancy stuff, is also trying to accomplish something else; a homework assignment…for a history class. Learning about this assignment will parallel the troubles in his relationship.
Here’s the problem. I know squat about history. Is there a doper out there who knows of any historical event where someone had an important decision to make; where on one side was an easy victory but one which would ultimately result in their demise and on the other was an unlikely solution which caused a small amount of suffering for a greater good?
I know that’s very specific, there’s a lot of room for interpretation here. Thanks, everyone.

-Oz

Just about any of the turning points or major events in WWII could be manipulated to fit.

Good place to start

How about you as a Kamikaze pilot, her as a Geisha?

Watch a couple of episodes of The History Channel, and
you’ve got all the research you need.

Sayonora, mambozzysan.

You could look up Nathan Hale.

That site is kind of a jingoistic Go America kind of place, but it’s the outline of his story, if you are so inclined. Good luck.

Pseudo-historical, but try Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. Sidney Carton’s ‘A far, far nobler thing than ever I have done before’ is just your ticket.

You’re character could be scientist or general free-thinker during the Inquisition…

He can either take the easy way out and admit his ideas are wrong and repent, but that would ruin his academic career, or he could remain defiant, and suffer, for the greater good of human enlightenment…

Eppur si move…(Nevertheless, it moves)

-Attributed to Gallileo, upon recanting his assertion that the Earth revolves around the sun.

Eppur si mouve, even.

Eppur si looks fabulous in mauve!

;j