▁different ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Training ▁and ▁early ▁life ▁He ▁was ▁trained ▁as ▁a ▁journalist ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁South , ▁in ▁S ew ane e , ▁Tennessee , ▁and ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁rep orter ▁at ▁the ▁Ch att ano oga ▁News . ▁He ▁joined ▁after ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Her ald ▁Trib une , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁sent ▁as ▁a ▁correspond ent ▁to ▁Gene va ▁( Sw itzerland ) ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁to ▁report ▁on ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁Nations . ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁brother ▁named ▁Sp ires ▁Whit aker ▁who ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁doctor ▁for ▁the ▁army ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁War ▁correspond ent ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁he ▁covered ▁the ▁Second ▁Ital o - A by ss in ian ▁War ▁for ▁CBS , ▁accomp any ing ▁the ▁Italian ▁troops . ▁ ▁The ▁government ▁of ▁Ben ito ▁M uss ol ini ▁awarded ▁him ▁the ▁Cro ce ▁di ▁Guerra ▁(" W ar ▁Cross ") ▁for ▁his ▁reporting ▁on ▁the ▁Italian ▁con quest ▁of ▁Eth iop ia . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁by ▁his ▁newspaper ▁to ▁Spain , ▁which ▁coinc ided ▁with ▁his ▁colle ague ▁and ▁friend ▁Jay ▁Allen , ▁from ▁Chicago ▁Trib une , ▁covered ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Civil ▁War , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁seen ▁at ▁several ▁at roc ities ▁and , ▁after ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁blood iest ▁events ▁of ▁the ▁entire ▁conflict , ▁the ▁Mass acre ▁of ▁B ada j