Louis Sears
Sears is among the first characters introduced in the novel. He is the American ambassador in Sarkhan but he is extremely disliked by the native people because of his negative attitude and because of his racism towards the Sarkhanese people. Sears is a man who worked as a politician all his life and does not really understand the lives of the working class and also the danger posed by the communists in the country. Sears leaves his post as ambassador when he is told a new position as judge opened up in America and claims he played a crucial role in strengthening the relationship between the two countries.
Gilbert MacWhite
Gilbert is the man who becomes ambassador after Sears. Gilbert serves in Sarkhan for six months, working on a very complex plan to eliminate the communists in the country. One of his Burmese friends makes him realize Gilbert had servants which were actually communists and in the light of this knowledge, Gilbert embarks on a long trip through other communist countries with the aim of learning more about the countries where he was going to serve. In comparison with Sears. Gilbert is more willing to make sacrifices in order to be accepted and to understand better the locals. Gilbert really tries to mend the reputation of America in Sarkhan but his efforts are seen as threatening and he eventually resigns from his post.
Deong
Deong is a Sarkhanese man who fought alongside Americans and even befriended one of them. After the end of the war, he became a communist and started to fight against the Americans he fought alongside with. The character of Deong is used here to show how communism can be extremely appealing and how many may feel the pull towards it.
Emma Atkins
Emma is Homer's wife and she moves to Sarkhan together with her husband. There, she does everything she can to help the villagers have a better and easier life. She is extremely compassionate towards the locals and shares the same views as her husband.
Jeepo
Jeepo is a Sarkhanese man who becomes business partners with Homer. Together, the build a water pump which helps the villagers have a better life. The two decide not to profit off their invention but rather to let everyone use it freely, proving that their main interest is the well-being and prosperity of the community.
Father Finian
Father Finian is a Catholic priest who for the duration of the novel lives in Burma. There, he empowers the locals and teaches them how to fight against communism. Because of his actions, the regions shuns every communist in the area by using non-lethal and non-violent means. Finina is another character who understands the need to adapt to a culture and he does this even though he puts his well-being in danger.
Prince Ngong
The prince appears briefly in the beginning of the novel when Sears is still ambassador in Sarkhan. The price desires to see his country free and independent and away from the influence of the Americans or Russians. Still, realizing his country is not yet in the position the be independent, he tries to appease both sides to keep them happy and to make sure both countries will continue to help Sarkhan.
Jim Davis
Jim is a black soldier fighting for the French troops. He is captured by the communists towards the end of the novel and has one of his eyes taken out.
Marie MacIntosh
Marie is a woman who begins to work in Sarkhan after Sears returns to America and another person becomes an ambassador. Just like the other American people, Marie is more interested in experiencing luxury rather than helping the people.
Li Pang
Li is a Chinese man living in Sarkhan and a good friend with Gilbert. Li is the one who makes Gilbert realize he has spies among his own servants and that the plans he made to overthrow the communists were all in vain.
Homer Atkins
Homer is an American who lived in Vietnam before moving to Sarkhan together with his wife. There, Homer helped build dams and roads as well as developing agriculture in the area and helping the locals build a better life for themselves. Homer makes real efforts to be accepted by the locals and because of this, he is loved by everyone around him. Homer is among the only Americans presented in the novel which are portrayed in a positive way.
Bob Maile
Bob is the first American with whom Ruth Jyoti has prolonged contact with. Bob tries to talk with Ruth about various Americans living in Burma and then becomes offended when Ruth does not talk about them in a positive way.
Louis Krupitzyn
Krupitzyn is the Russian ambassador working in Sarkhan at the same time as Sears. In comparison with Sears, Krupitzyn and his wife made many efforts to be accepted by the Sarkhanese people, even learning their language and customs. Because of this, Krupitzyn has more success in convincing the Sarkhanese people to accept communism.
Solomon Asch
Solomon is an American diplomat sent to various Asian countries with the purpose of convincing them to allow the Americans to store weapons in their countries.
Joe Bing
Joe is an American politician is Sarkhan who becomes ambassador after Gilbert is forced to retire. Joe is known by the locals as being similar to Sears, meaning he is extremely racist and obnoxious towards the locals.
Arthur Alexander Gray
Alexander Gray is another controversial figure, an American ambassador in Vietnam. In comparison with Sears, Alexander Gray knows his efforts to combat communism are not successful. Still, when his superiors come to inspect his work, he puts on a show which leaves everyone with the impression that Gray is extremely successful.
U Maung Swe
Swe is a Burmese journalist who openly criticizes the American politicians working in foreign countries. He reveals that the actions of these people only hurt the fame of the United States of America and makes the people not want to trust them.
Boning
Boning is one of the members of Asch's delegation and is seen as the expert on atomic bombs. Because of his reckless behavior, the countries they visited refused to help the Americans in their endeavor.
