What does the irony in these excerpts from “In Another Country” by Ernest Hemingway convey?

The war is ruthless and took away the things most important to the identity and happiness of both men.

Explanation:

Your question isn't complete as you didn't provide the excerpt where the question came from. I searched online and got the excerpt which has been added in the comments section.

Irony refers to the expression of one's meaning through the use of a language

or words which signifies the opposite. The irony in the excerpts convey that the war is ruthless and took away the things most important to the identity and happiness of both men.

affirmative action refers to the policies that take gender, race, or ethnicity into account in order to promote equal opportunity.

employers subject to title vii are prohibited from taking race or sex into account in any employment decisions. aa is a penalty for having any job group substantially statistically "underutilized" in any race or either sex. the employer must take steps to eliminate the underutilization, then stop, ending its aa efforts

answer placeholder because the system is messed up