Personally I prefer DOM XML parsers due to their ease of use and the ability to separate parsing/creating logic from the rest of the code. It seems that your application would be best suited to use a DOM parser because you said so yourself that sometimes you only need certain parts of the XML, not the entire document. SAX parsers do not support random read access.
Read the following article and you will find the best solution for you http://www.raywenderlich.com/553/how-to-chose-the-best-xml-parser-for-your-iphone-project.
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.