Americans
President Abigail Wilson
First female President of the United States of America.- Breaking the Glass Ceiling
- My Greatest Failure: The debacle in the Ukraine weights heavily on her.
- Iron Lady: Played straight with being able to make tough decisions, but subverted with scenes showing the emotional impact of sending men and women to their deaths.
Secretary of State Pete Soares
Campaign advisor for President Wilson, and as SecState proposed the operation to secure Russian nukes Ukraine refuses to return.- Embarrassing Nickname: "The Rat", due to his appearance.
- Opportunistic Bastard: As the situation in Germany deteriorates, he tries to distance himself from Wilson as a prelude to launching his own presidential campaign.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: During a heated discussion with the President, he ends up resigning, to the concern of nobody in particular.
Congressman Ed Lewis
Trusted associate of President Wilson.- Chessmaster Sidekick: Comes up with the plan to march the Tenth Corps through Germany.
- Honest Advisor: Gives advice from a realist, almost cynical, point of view.
- Reluctant Warrior: A veteran who abhors the use of military force except when it is absolutely necessary.
- Taking Up the Mantle: Is eventually appointed the new Secretary of State.
Lt. Gen. Alvin Malin
Commanding officer of the US 10th Corps.- A Father to His Troops
- Cultured Warrior: His educational background allows him to make many historical references, including the Anabasis the book is based on.
- In-Series Nickname: "Big Al"
- Military Brat: His family has a military tradition.
- No One Gets Left Behind: Averted hard, with him giving orders to leave behind the seriously wounded in German hospitals.
- Zero-Approval Gambit: The plan of marching through Germany relies on him pretending to be acting rogue as a Fall Guy for the Wilson administration.
Col. Scott Dixon
Commanding officer, 1st Brigade, 4th Armored Division.- Big Guy, Little Guy: Of average height, but comparatively small compared to his liaison Col. Vorishnov.
- Colonel Badass: A competent officer with an aggressive commanding style.
- Ridiculously Average Guy: His physical description in the book.
Cpt. Nancy Kozak
Commands C Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade.- The Captain: Leads her unit through the gauntlet of German opposition.
- Granddad the Veteran: Her grandfather is the American soldier in the prologue.
- Great Offscreen War: Served with US forces intervening in Mexico's Second Revolution.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: With her subordinate Lt. Ellerbee whom she despises for his incompetence.
Second Lt. Tim Ellerbee
Platoon leader under Cpt. Kozak.- Accidental Hero: A Wrong Turn at Albuquerque ends up flanking a German antitank platoon poised to take out Col. Dixon's tank.
- Boss's Unfavorite Employee: Due to committing serious errors during the Ukraine operation.
- Straw Misogynist: Despises Kozak merely for being a woman.
Spc. Kevin Pape
Newly-minted US Army Ranger.- Heroic Second Wind: Triggered by an assault on a German machine gun post that kills several of his team members,
leading him to charge with blind fury, and earning him a Medal Of Honor. - More Dakka: Carries a squad automatic weapon.
- New Meat
Hilary Cole
A nurse in the 10th Corps.- Sacrificial Lamb
- Trauma Conga Line: From forced marches to treating severely wounded troops finally culminating in coming under enemy fire and eventually dying from exhaustion.
Germans
Chancellor Johann Ruff
Head of German government.- 0% Approval Rating: Due to the suffering brought to the German people by his actions.
- Ate His Gun: After being left a gun by his military aide.
- Big Bad: An unapologetic War Hawk with a personal grudge against American forces.
- Child Soldiers: As a member of the Hitler Youth in the prologue.
- The Heart: Was once a Chancellor who encouraged German national unity and prosperity.
- Non-Fatal Explosions: The grenade thrown by the American soldier in the prologue only injures his knee.
- Patriotic Fervor: In the prologue, and later invoked to justify his actions.
Thomas Fellner
German interior minister.- Deadpan Snarker: As the crisis deepens, so does his tendency to mock the Chancellor's actions.
- Only Sane Man: The only member of Ruff's cabinet that openly questions his motivations.
General Lange
Chief of German general staff.- Curious Qualms of Conscience: One of the characters most troubled by the Chancellor's orders to antagonize a former ally.
- Heel–Face Turn: Eventually leaves Ruff and opens Bremerhaven to be secured by US airborne troops as a safe haven for the Tenth Corps' retreat.
Colonel Johann Haas
Commanding officer, 26th Parachute Brigade, 1st Parachute Division.- We Used to Be Friends: Feels deep shame over having to fight soldiers of a country he has trained with.
Russians
Col. Anatol Vorishnov
Russian liaison officer to Col. Dixon.- Big Guy, Little Guy: The big guy to Dixon’s “little” guy.
- You Are in Command Now: Given command of the northern half by Dixon after the brigade splits.
Maj. Nikolai Ilvanich
Liaison to a unit of US Army Rangers.- Army Scout: Under the Soviet Union, he was trained to infiltrate West Germany in the event of the Cold War turning hot.
- Majorly Awesome: Takes a leading role in the successful disruption operations by the Rangers in Germany.
- Mentor: To Specialist Pape.
- Not Quite Dead: Almost dies during the assault to retake the nukes.
- Overcome Their Differences: Eventually gains the trust of his adopted unit.
- Quit Your Whining: Downplayed in a conversation with Lt. Ellerbee complaining about Cpt. Kozak while the two are recovering in a military hospital. The major just doesn't see what the lieutenant could be complaining about when the captain got her unit out safely.
- You Are in Command Now: After the incident in the Ukraine, he is the most senior officer in the Ranger unit in terms of both rank and experience.
