Victor Henry does not come off as a wholly sympathetic or even heroic figure. Rather, like many of the “heroes” of The Caine Mutiny (1951), Victor is a flawed man with professional integrity and a knack for being in the right place at the critical time. Roosevelt praises his eye for detail, and no one questions his dedication as an officer. Yet he himself admits that he has been a mediocre husband and, to his daughter Madeline especially, a rather poor and distant father. Despite his long service record and strength of character, he has no really close personal friends in the navy. His son Warren is very much of the same mold: tough, loyal, athletic, “navy” head to toe. The potential black sheep of the family, Byron, possesses as much physical courage as the other Henry men, and more personal courage, as shown by his marrying a Jewess and his impertinence toward superior officers. The women are more complex, but only Madeline transcends the stereotype of 1940’s women: devoted to a man, preferably one’s husband, and resigned to a “woman’s place.” Her relationship with Hugh Cleveland defies convention more than does Byron’s sometimes trivial rebelliousness.

Victor Henry’s loyalty to flag and navy contrasts with his often wandering eye and occasionally wandering heart. The younger women of the novel interest him more than his still attractive wife. His fascination with the darkly beautiful Natalie eventually leads to his grudging approval of Byron’s marriage.

The central women of the novel, along with Byron Henry, possess a loyalty and depth of character perhaps beyond those of the more conventional men. Natalie Jastrow risks her own and her baby’s safety to help her eccentric uncle, Madeline overlooks Hugh Cleveland’s obnoxious private personality to help him utilize his public talents, and both Pamela and Rhoda set aside propriety for the sake of love. Although, as a member of the family, Warren Henry is “important,” he seems rather wooden compared to his flamboyant younger brother, the daring women, and even his complex, brooding father.

Thus the novel appeals to both men and women. The conventions of the time and no doubt the author’s own inclinations emphasize love rather than sex, but the treatment is more realistic than romantic. The personal cowardice of Byron’s rival, Ambassador Leslie Slote, and the backbiting of some of Victor Henry’s rivals put the main figures in a better light, for they at least have substance and strength.

The Winds of War features literally hundreds of characters, with over a dozen taking on significant roles. At the novel's heart is the Henry family: Captain Victor "Pug" Henry, his wife Rhoda, and their children Warren, Byron, and Madeline. Each family member has their own storyline, and as the world edges closer to war, the Henrys find themselves moving in varied directions. Pug notes they are like tumbleweeds scattered by the winds of war. Wouk strives to delve into the minds of these characters, though Warren is the least explored among them.

Wouk also introduces the Jastrow family, Polish Jews with Natalie Jastrow playing a central role in this novel and its sequel, alongside her uncle Aaron, a respected historian residing in Italy as hostilities begin. Natalie crosses paths with Byron Henry while working for Aaron. Aaron embodies the Jewish American intellectual, contrasting with his cousin Berel, who stayed in Poland when Aaron moved to America. Berel's actions during the days leading up to the war and the early months following Hitler's invasion of Poland illustrate how those targeted by Hitler's hatred responded to...