On the night of July 16, 1973, Amir and his family heard the sounds of staccato gunshots and explosions. Ali and Baba comforted both of the boys and Ali insisted that men were simply shooting ducks. The gunfire only lasted for less than an hour and the next morning it was relatively calm outside. On the morning of July 17, 1973, Amir woke up to discover that the king's cousin, Daoud Khan, had led a bloodless coup that ended Zahir Shah's forty-year reign while he was out of the country. The shift in political power significantly affected the trajectory of the country, which replaced a monarchy with a republic in one fell swoop. Daoud Khan's relationship with the Soviets would eventually deteriorate and result in his assassination before the Soviets invaded the country in the winter of 1979. Daoud Khan's coup would be the first significant event that marked a longstanding period of political instability in Afghanistan.

July 17, 1973 is one of the most important days in the whole novel and the history of Afghanistan.

On July 17, 1973, Amir heard gunfire taking place outside and for the first time, he saw fear on his father's face. He knew that something significant was happening. It was the beginning of a revolution on a national level. On a personal level, this day was to marking a turning in his life and the life of his family.

From a historical perspective, the events of July 17, 1973 marked the the beginning of the rise of communist power. This action was to get rid of the monarchy and ushered in a republic in the span of a night! On July 17, 1973, while the king (King Zahir Shah) was on vacation, Mohammad Daoud Khan seized power. Eventually this give rise to the influence of the Soviet Union. These actions would change Afghanistan forever.