Us oldies are quite difficult to buy for, we have most things that we need, and as we get older we find we need less and less. The best way around this problem is to ask what he needs ( within your budget). Or, suggest that you take him to his favourite restaurant for a meal, ( we still love to eat out ).
You couls still make a scrap book of the family I think that would be a nice gift. Something nice to look back on.
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.