I hate to say this, but I think you have painted yourself into a corner on this one. Excel's objects do not support modifying picture data in the way you describe, which means that you cannot make these changes while the sheet is open. Even if you figured out how to make changes to the raw file, it does not satisfy your UI requirements.
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.