After Germany declared war on France on 3 August, Poincaré said: "Never was a declaration of war received with such satisfaction". He appeared before the National Assembly at 3 PM on 4 August to announce that France was now at war forming the doctrine of the "union sacrée" in which he announced that: "nothing will break the "union sacrée" in the face of the enemy." "Dans la guerre qui s'engage, la France […] sera héroïquement défendue par tous ses fils, dont rien ne brisera devant l'ennemi l'union sacrée"