Quan's tall, square-faced childhood friend who advances to an officer position in the army and becomes deeply committed to Party ideology.

Quan's other childhood friend, notable for his strength and size, whose mental health deteriorates under the stress of war and ultimately sees him in an infirmary.

A small, corpulent commander in the zone where Quan finds Bien, known for his staunch belief in Communist ideology and a pompous demeanor.

Two well-nourished men observed by Quan on a train, embodying contrasting views on Marxist idealism and pragmatism.

A character whose challenging conversation with Quan regarding captured goods and party ideology leads Quan to question his beliefs.

A woman with a flat, square face and prominent pimples who runs a cemetery in the jungle and serves as a living embodiment of the war's horrors.

A nearly six-foot-tall, spoiled soldier in Quan’s unit, skilled at hunting, whose accidental shooting and subsequent breakdown reflect the war's toll.

Quan’s childhood sweetheart who promises to wait for him, but whose life is drastically altered by the war in his absence.

A violent soldier proud of his ruthless acts during the war who makes Quan reflect on his own moral conscience.

A soldier like Quan who has also lost a younger brother in the war and remains one of the few surviving members of their original unit.