That's a spectacularly poor way to be doing it. Ignoring common sense.
I agree mostly with what @thirtydot says as there's probably an easier WP way to add a class to an active link.. but to follow your logic you can make the whole thing much simpler.
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.