I would define a mapping class where its sole purpose will be to map an Employee to a VMEmployee . The mapping will still need to exist but ideally the viewmodel should not need to be concerned with doing it. You can then unit test this to make sure that everything is mapped.
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.