The uprising begins within the German High Seas Fleet when sailors refuse to set out for a final battle against the British Royal Navy, despite the already certain defeat in the war. Within a few days, it spreads throughout the entire German Empire and reaches Berlin on November 9, 1918. Hundreds of thousands of workers demonstrate, the garrisons join in, and the Chancellor announces the abdication of the Emperor; the monarchy collapses, and the Republic is proclaimed. The goal of the revolutionary movement is not the dictatorship of the proletariat. It aims to eliminate Prussian militarism and the remnants of the Empire in administration, justice, schools, and universities, and to create a fundamentally democratic society. The fear of a Bolshevik world revolution ultimately prevents the existing opportunities from leading to a real disempowerment.