You should check out the Views module you can use parameters passed via the url to filter data. You can generate a drop-down box using forEach in PHP using data fetched by using hooks . After that you should be able to pass the parameters to a views page and get what you are looking for.
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.