I'm not real sure about your requirements for a "dynamic menu" but an alternative to the view-of-titles might be to set up a custom menu, then when you create these nodes, set them to be part of that menu in the node edit form. Then display that menu in the block And you should get the highlighting of active items you want.
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.