- Kim: A young Vietnamese woman who falls in love with Chris.
- Chris: An American soldier who is stationed in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
- The Engineer: A Vietnamese pimp who owns the bar where Kim works.
- John: Chris's best friend, who is also a soldier.
- Ellen: Chris's wife.
- Thuy: Kim's former boyfriend, who is a communist soldier.
Other important characters include:
- Gigi: The Engineer's mistress.
- Tam: Kim's cousin.
- Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Chris's parents.
- The Vietnamese Ambassador: The representative of the Vietnamese government in the United States.
- The American Ambassador: The representative of the United States government in Vietnam.