If you're looking for something that even remotely ressembles Facebook, you'll have to opt for commercial scripts. I've used many different CMS and social scripts and while many are really flexible, include good overall functionality, none is designed as a communication center as it is on popular social networking sites. BuddyPress was extremely promising but has been alseep for 5 years.
Xoops was great, then less great, then whatever. WordPress could offer most requirements, but it doesn't yet provide a live interface, and might become a bit slow if it gets loaded. There are plenty of free options but none that would out of the box be able to compete with big sites.
If you were to put any of them on Facebook.com, most users would leave within a few days. Commercial scripts, on the other hand, are generally better designed as they were specifically made for that task, unlike a CMS.
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.