Yes to the water. The water is necessary to moisten the batter and activate the dry milk & eggs pre-measured into the mix. As far as the butter and oil.
You "can" substitute the butter for the oil. I would not. I would add both at equal amounts, if it were me.It will only make the brownies softer or may even make it a little greesy but you cant hardly mess up a brownie unless you over cook it.
I add hershey chocolate syrup to mine as well. The syrup makes the brownie a little more richer, if thats possible.
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.