If he has a criminal record, many countries will not allow him in at all, thus leaving the USA is a redundant question, he may not be able to go anywhere at all (to mainly civilized countries with automated passport checks). A lot of this depends on what his crime was - he would have to check the destination country to see if he can enter, or if he has to apply for an exemption or permission first.
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.