Well the appropriate thing to do is not say anything it depends on where you are in the us or in the middle east I was told by a Islamic man why are you crying I told him my dad just died he said Why cry rejoice he is in a better place and as a christian you have to go with what God says not the things of man if he or she is a friend tell what the word says Absent from the body present before the Lord. Don't change your way for another way that is not yours don't misunderstand me we are to love all you may be able to just say I am sorry for your loss perhaps watch what others do.......i hope this helps alittle it is hard.
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.