Spanish Civil War
Despite Pauline’s reluctance to have him work in a war zone, in 1937, Hemingway left for Spain to cover the Spanish Civil War for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Papa (as all his friends now knew him) was to write the script for The Spanish Earth and was joined in Spain by journalist and writer Martha Gellhorn. Like Hadley, Martha was also a St. Louis, Missouri native, and like Pauline, she had worked for Vogue magazine in Paris.
Late in 1937, while in Madrid with Martha, Hemingway wrote his only play, The Fifth Column, as Francoist forces were bombarding the city. He returned to Key West for a few months, then back to Spain twice in 1938, where he was present at the Battle of the Ebro, the last republican stand, and he was among the last journalists to leave the battle as they crossed the river. By this time, Ernest and Martha were together. She was about to become the third Mrs. Hemingway.
