Exposure creates the person. Without exposure, the person is only left to their own thoughts. In her case, her thoughts are about survival.
I'm going to guess she came from a single income family where they had very little and learned to be humble. I'm also going to guess that you came from either a dual income family or a single income family that new how to budget money and you have "enough" so you learned to be more "interesting". As a soon to be father, you should be spending more time making money than doing Otaku hobbies.
I know that seems like identity suicide, but take it from me - Otaku is here forever, but you only get 19 years to get being a father right. And if your wife is used to being poor, maybe this is a reflection on you as a provider more than it is a reflection on her as a person. Now, about that exposure.
You are going to have to ease her into it. While she's nursing your daughter (congrats by the way) she will have plenty of time to have one on one time with you. Don't jump into Bleach, Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, or any animes like that.
Instead, do something more gentle. Fruits basket is a great place to start. It is extremely boring (until the very end) but it is going to get her used to watching "cartoons" that have subtitles.
If she can't read fast, do dubbed until she prefers the other. As far as your friends. I know you're going to hate this, but your friends are going to be your acquaintances soon.
As soon as you become a father, your wife will need you more than anything. This will give "play time" less time. No matter how many MtG tourneys you normally attend, you're going to need to rise to this challenge.
Your daughter (name mutually agreed upon, not your choice), can be an Otaku like you, but you have to ease your wife into it. Don't expect perfection overnight. Good luck.
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.