They can help anywhere when you write to a file and don't want to block while any of it happens. It's hard to imagine a database wanting that, except maybe in writing text log files whose integrity doesn't really matter.
IOCP can help a great deal when implementing a database.
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.