Ambassador Louis Sears is a former United States Senator appointed to Sarkhan after losing his political seat. He cares little for the Sarkhanese people, refusing to learn their language or understand their customs. Instead of addressing genuine diplomatic issues, he focuses on his public image and the unflattering cartoons printed about him in the local newspapers. He views the post merely as a stepping stone and hopes to secure a federal judgeship soon.

Gilbert MacWhite is a highly competent, 41-year-old diplomat who replaces Sears as the American Ambassador to Sarkhan. A recognized expert in Soviet theory, he speaks fluent Sarkhanese and studies the writings of Communist leaders to understand his opponents. He travels extensively to the Philippines, Vietnam, and other regions to recruit effective personnel and observe military tactics. He values practical knowledge and insists on learning from his own administrative mistakes.

Louis Krupitzyn is the dedicated and tactical Soviet Ambassador to Sarkhan. Following a prestigious academic career in Russia, he prepares for his diplomatic post by intensely studying the Sarkhanese language, Buddhist philosophy, and local customs. He actively manipulates public perception, buying American relief supplies on the black market to falsely present them as Russian gifts to the starving populace.

Father Finian is a Catholic priest from Boston who transfers to Burma to wage a spiritual and ideological campaign against Communism. He endures extreme physical hardship, including intentional dysentery, to acclimatize to the jungle diet. He believes in earning the trust of the locals by allowing them to make their own decisions, eventually distributing pamphlets that use actual Communist writings to expose the party's disdain for the peasantry.

Major Monet is a French military officer commanding a Foreign Legion unit near Hanoi. A student of Napoleonic military history, he initially relies on traditional combat strategies despite suffering severe losses to nighttime guerilla attacks. He eventually agrees to read the military manuals of his enemies, demonstrating a rare willingness to adapt his methods on the battlefield.

Colonel Edwin B. Hillandale is an eccentric Air Force officer known for his ability to charm local populations. He travels through the Philippines on a motorcycle, playing traditional songs on his harmonica and sharing meals with villagers. Recognizing the political influence of the occult in Asian societies, he studies palmistry and astrology to secure audiences with high-ranking officials.

Homer Atkins is a wealthy, retired American engineer acting as a consultant in Southeast Asia. He dismisses massive, impractical infrastructure projects in favor of small, immediate solutions like water pumps and brick factories. Proud of his calloused hands and rough appearance, he easily forms working partnerships with local mechanics by treating them with respect and sharing his profits.

John Colvin is an American businessman who returns to Sarkhan to establish a powdered milk distribution center. Having fought alongside the Sarkhanese against the Japanese during World War II, he hopes to improve local diets by introducing Texas milk cows. His altruistic plans face violent opposition from ideological factions who do not want America to receive credit for helping the populace.

Deong is a Sarkhanese man who previously utilized sabotage tactics alongside American soldiers during the Japanese occupation. Convinced that the Communists will ultimately win control of his country, he attempts to sabotage a local milk distribution center to prevent Americans from gaining favor with the citizens.

Joe Bing is an American public relations official known for his loud, nationalistic rhetoric. He recruits government employees by emphasizing the availability of cheap liquor, high salaries, and insulation from foreign cultures. While highly regarded by bureaucrats in Washington, he is widely disliked by the Asian journalists and officials who actually interact with him.

Major James Wolchek, known as "Tex," is an American military officer attached to the French Foreign Legion in Vietnam. Frustrated by the high casualties inflicted by unseen guerilla fighters, he studies unconventional combat tactics and urges his superiors to alter their approach to the conflict.

Emma Atkins is the practical and observant wife of the American engineer working in the village of Chang 'Dong. She notices that the elderly villagers suffer from chronic back pain due to their short-handled brooms. She quietly cultivates local reeds to demonstrate how long-handled brooms can alleviate their suffering, performing her work without demanding recognition.

Jeepo is a skilled Sarkhanese mechanic from the village of Chang 'Dong. He identifies a mechanical flaw in an American engineer's water pump prototype and redesigns it to function with a removable bicycle. He insists that their invention remain unpatented so that any villager can replicate it freely.

Senator Jonathan Brown is a long-serving politician who secured his seat through a corrupt deal with a utility company. He travels to Vietnam on an official inspection tour but allows his physical ailments and vanity to dictate his itinerary, resulting in a completely distorted view of the military situation fed to him by handlers.

Thomas Elmer Knox is an American agricultural expert with degrees in animal husbandry. He earns the trust of Cambodian villagers by teaching them how to improve the health and size of their chickens. However, his frustration with dismissive bureaucrats leaves him vulnerable to flattery and luxury trips, which distract him from his original mission.

Ruth Jyoti is the publisher and editor of the Setkya Daily Herald. During a press trip to the United States, she boldly criticizes American officials for their ineffective strategies in Asia, championing humble workers over loud, boastful bureaucrats.

Marie MacIntosh is a young woman seeking an escape from her dull life. She accepts a government position in Sarkhan after attending a recruitment seminar that promises an active social life and numerous parties, viewing the role as a vacation rather than a diplomatic duty.

Ramon Magsaysay is the Minister of Defense in the Philippines who eventually runs for the presidency. He recognizes the immense political value of Americans who genuinely connect with the local culture rather than isolating themselves.

George Swift serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission under the American ambassador in Sarkhan. Arrogant and petty, he sneers at unconventional diplomatic strategies like palmistry and intentionally sabotages a colleague's high-stakes meeting to protect his own ego.

Solomon Asch is the head of the American Delegation to the Special Armament section. He runs a strict committee, forbidding his staff from attending cocktail parties to ensure they remain sharp during sensitive negotiations regarding weapons distribution.

Captain Boning is a Navy officer and weapons expert serving on an international armament committee. His late-night romantic exhaustion causes him to hesitate and doze during meetings, leading allied nations to believe the Americans are intentionally withholding information.

Dr. Ruby Tsung is a Chinese woman who works as a guide in Hong Kong. Her late-night relationship with an American naval officer inadvertently jeopardizes a critical international weapons conference.

Dr. Hans Barre is a specialist in Oriental languages attached to the embassy in Vietnam. Under orders from his superiors, he deliberately mistranslates the statements of Vietnamese locals to present a falsely optimistic view to a visiting American politician.

Alexander Gray is the American Ambassador to Vietnam. Anxious about maintaining funding and support, he carefully curates inspection tours to hide the grim realities of the war from visiting government officials.

Nada Kolosoff is the wife of the Soviet Ambassador to Sarkhan. She actively supports her husband's diplomatic mission by thoroughly studying the Sarkhanese language and Buddhist texts to better integrate into the society.

U Tien is a devout Catholic from Burma. He assists a foreign priest by identifying a trusted group of local men to launch a propaganda campaign against Communist influence in their region.

Donald is an elderly servant working in the household of the American Ambassador in Sarkhan. He maintains a facade of speaking no English until a visiting businessman aggressively interrogates him, leading to severe questions about embassy security.

Li Pang is a Chinese businessman and old friend of the American Ambassador. During a visit to the embassy, he recognizes a security vulnerability and uses aggressive interrogation tactics to expose the hidden language skills of the household staff.

Major Ernest Cravath is the military attaché at the embassy in Vietnam. He assists in curating a misleading tour for a visiting politician, going so far as to adjust vehicle shock absorbers to make the journey seem appropriately rugged.