SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                 REVOCATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A)
                    OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

  Filed by the Registrant {X}

  Filed by a Party other than the Registrant {_}

  Check the appropriate box:
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       Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
  {_}  Definitive Proxy Statement (Revocation of Consent Statement)
  {X}  Definitive Additional Materials
  {X}  Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

                      GREAT WESTERN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
                   -----------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                   -----------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

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            pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which
            the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): ___

       (4)  Proposed maximum aggregate value of transactions:  _______________

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  --------
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       paid previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration statement
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                                 [Press Release]

                                                                  NEWS

     [Great Western Logo]
                                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                             APRIL 2, 1997

     Contact:  Ian Campbell        818-775-3773
     -------   Charlie Coleman     818-775-3766

                 GREAT WESTERN RESPONDS TO ISS RECOMMENDATION

             ISS Takes No Position on Merits of Ahmanson Proposal

           ISS Says Legal Consent Deadline is Still Many Weeks Away

          CHATSWORTH, Calif. -- Great Western Financial Corporation
     (NYSE: GWF) today issued the following statement in response to
     the Institutional Shareholder Services Inc.'s (ISS) report:

          "We vigorously disagree with ISS' recommendations on four of
     Ahmanson's five proposals.  It is important to emphasize that, as
     ISS made clear in its report, ISS' recommendations pertain only
     to Ahmanson's proposed resolutions and By-law amendments.  ISS
     explicitly stated that it is not commenting on the relative
     merits of the Great Western/Washington Mutual merger agreement
     and Ahmanson's unsolicited proposal.  Nor does ISS make any
     recommendations as to how stockholders should vote in connection
     with the election of directors at Great Western's Annual Meeting.

          "Ahmanson's proposed resolutions and By-law amendments are
     not designed to benefit Great Western stockholders.  They are
     designed to benefit Ahmanson and its own stockholders.  If
     Ahmanson believes that these proposed By-law amendments enhance
     stockholder value, Ahmanson's By-laws would contain these very
     same provisions.  In fact, none of the By-law amendments that
     Ahmanson has proposed for Great Western appears in Ahmanson's own
     By-laws.

          "In unanimously approving our strategic business combination
     with Washington Mutual, the Board of Directors of Great Western
     acted prudently and responsibly and achieved literally hundreds
     of millions of dollars of additional value for Great Western
     stockholders.

          "Great Western remains strongly committed to its strategic
     merger agreement with Washington Mutual, and is working closely
     with Washington Mutual's Board of Directors to move forward with
     the merger.  Great Western believes that a combination with
     Washington Mutual will provide its stockholders with a superior
     value opportunity.

          "Great Western stockholders did not allow Ahmanson to coerce
     them into accepting Ahmanson's artificial March 27 deadline.  We
     anticipate that our stockholders will similarly ignore any other
     artificial deadlines which Ahmanson may seek to impose.  In its
     report, ISS states that stockholders have until May 12, 1997 to
     respond to Ahmanson's consent solicitation.  Great Western also
     notes that Ahmanson has not even requested a record date for its
     first two proposals.

          "We continue to urge all Great Western stockholders to
     oppose Ahmanson's consent solicitation and not to sign any White
     consent card furnished by Ahmanson."

          Great Western also announced that Ahmanson has not yet
     submitted any consents to Great Western.  With respect to Great
     Western's previous statement as to the level of support Ahmanson
     has received in its consent solicitation, Great Western noted
     that it is unable to determine the percentage of shares which
     have given consents to Ahmanson.

          With assets of $42.9 billion, Great Western Financial
     Corporation is a diversified financial services company operating
     more than 1,150 mortgage lending, retail banking, and consumer
     finance offices nationwide.  Great Western's principal
     subsidiary, Great Western Bank, is a mortgage-oriented consumer
     bank with banking branch networks in California and Florida.

                                   # # #

               Great Western Financial Corporation ("Great Western")
     and certain other persons named below may be deemed to be
     participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with
     the merger of Great Western and a wholly-owned subsidiary of
     Washington Mutual, Inc. ("Washington Mutual") pursuant to which
     each outstanding share of Great Western common stock would be
     converted into 0.9 shares of Washington Mutual common stock (the
     "Merger").  The participants in this solicitation may include the
     directors of Great Western (James F. Montgomery, John F. Maher,
     Dr. David Alexander, H. Frederick Christie, Stephen E. Frank,
     John V. Giovenco, Firmin A. Gryp, Enrique Hernandez, Jr., Charles
     D. Miller, Dr. Alberta E. Siegel and Willis B. Wood, Jr.); the
     following executive officers of Great Western:  J. Lance Erikson,
     Carl F. Geuther, Michael M. Pappas, A. William Schenck III, Ray
     W. Sims and Jaynie M. Studenmund; and the following other members
     of management of Great Western:  Stephen F. Adams, Bruce F.
     Antenberg, Barry R. Barkley, Ian D. Campbell, Charles Coleman,
     Allen D. Meadows and John A. Trotter (collectively, the "Great
     Western Participants").  As of the date of this communication,
     James F. Montgomery and John F. Maher beneficially owned 605,488
     shares and 611,762 shares of Great Western common stock,
     respectively (including shares subject to stock options
     exercisable within 60 days).  The remaining Great Western
     Participants do not beneficially own, individually or in the
     aggregate, in excess of 1% of Great Western's equity securities.

               Great Western has retained Goldman, Sachs & Co.
     ("Goldman Sachs") and Merrill Lynch & Co. ("Merrill Lynch") to
     act as its financial advisors in connection with the Merger, as
     well as the merger proposal by H. F. Ahmanson & Company, for
     which they received and may receive substantial fees, as well as
     reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.  In addition,
     Great Western has agreed to indemnify Goldman Sachs and Merrill
     Lynch and certain persons related to them against certain
     liabilities, including certain liabilities under the federal
     securities laws, arising out of their engagement.  Each of
     Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch is an investment banking firm
     that provides a full range of financial services for
     institutional and individual clients.  Neither Goldman Sachs nor
     Merrill Lynch admits that it or any of its directors, officers or
     employees is a "participant" as defined in Schedule 14A
     promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
     amended, in the solicitation, or that Schedule 14A requires the
     disclosure of certain information concerning Goldman Sachs and
     Merrill Lynch.  In connection with Goldman Sachs's role as
     financial advisor to Great Western, Goldman Sachs and the
     following investment banking employees of Goldman Sachs may
     communicate in person, by telephone or otherwise with a limited
     number of institutions, brokers or other persons who are
     stockholders of Great Western:  Joe Wender, John Mahoney, Andy
     Gordon, Todd Owens and Andrea Vittorelli.  In connection with
     Merrill Lynch's role as financial advisor to Great Western,
     Merrill Lynch and the following investment banking employees of
     Merrill Lynch may communicate in person, by telephone or
     otherwise with a limited number of institutions, brokers or other
     persons who are stockholders of Great Western:  Herb Lurie, Louis
     S. Wolfe, Paul Wetzel, Frank V. McMahon, John Esposito, Alex Sun,
     Christopher Del-Moral Niles and Kavita Gupta.  In the normal
     course of their respective businesses Goldman Sachs and Merrill
     Lynch regularly buy and sell securities issued by Great Western
     and its affiliates ("Great Western Securities") and Washington
     Mutual and its affiliates ("Washington Mutual Securities") for
     its own account and for the accounts of its customers, which
     transactions may result from time to time in Goldman Sachs and
     its associates and Merrill Lynch and its associates having a net
     "long" or net "short" position in Great Western Securities,
     Washington Mutual Securities, or option contracts with other
     derivatives in or relating to Great Western Securities or
     Washington Mutual Securities.  As of March 14, 1997, Goldman
     Sachs held positions in Great Western Securities and Washington
     Mutual Securities as principal as follows:  (i) net "long" 9,669
     of Great Western's common shares; (ii) net "long" $1 million of
     Great Western's deposit notes; and (iii) net "long" 1,098 of
     Washington Mutual's common shares.  As of March 14, 1997, Merrill
     Lynch had positions in Great Western Securities and Washington
     Mutual Securities as principal as follows:  (i) net "long" 8,800
     of Great Western's common shares;  (ii) net "long" 1,775 shares
     of Great Western's 8.30% preferred stock; and (iii) net "long"
     1,527 of Washington Mutual's common shares.

               Other participants in the solicitation include
     Washington Mutual and may include the directors of Washington
     Mutual (Douglas P. Beighle, David Bonderman, Herbert M. Bridge,
     J. Taylor Crandall, Roger H. Eigsti, John W. Ellis, Daniel J.
     Evans, Anne V. Farrell, William P. Gerberding, Kerry K.
     Killinger, Samuel B. McKinney, Michael K. Murphy, Louis H.
     Pepper, William G. Reed, Jr. and James H. Stever); the following
     executive officers of Washington Mutual:  Lee Lannoye, William A.
     Longbrake, Deanna W. Oppenheimer, Craig E. Tall and S. Liane
     Wilson; and the following other members of management of
     Washington Mutual:  Karen Christensen, JoAnn DeGrande, William
     Ehrlich, James B. Fitzgerald, Marc Kittner and Douglas G. Wisdorf
     (collectively, the "Washington Mutual Participants").  As of the
     date of this communication, David Bonderman, J. Taylor Crandall
     and Kerry K. Killinger beneficially owned 1,894,141 shares,
     6,549,755 shares and 1,044,224 shares of Washington Mutual common
     stock, respectively.  The remaining Washington Mutual
     Participants do not beneficially own, individually or in the
     aggregate, in excess of 1% of Washington Mutual's equity
     securities.  The Washington Mutual Participants do not
     beneficially own, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of
     1% of Great Western's equity securities.

               Washington Mutual has retained Lehman Brothers Inc.
     ("Lehman Brothers") to act as its financial advisor in connection
     with the Merger for which it received and may receive substantial
     fees as well as reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket
     expenses.  In addition, Washington Mutual has agreed to indemnify
     Lehman Brothers and certain persons related to it against certain
     liabilities, including certain liabilities under the federal
     securities laws, arising out of its engagement.  Lehman Brothers
     is an investment banking firm that provides a full range of
     financial services for institutional and individual clients. 
     Lehman Brothers does not admit that it or any of its directors,
     officers or employees is a "participant" as defined in Schedule
     14A promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
     amended, in the solicitation, or that Schedule 14A requires the
     disclosure of certain information concerning Lehman Brothers.  In
     connection with Lehman Brothers' role as financial advisor to
     Washington Mutual, Lehman Brothers and the following investment
     banking employees of Lehman Brothers may communicate in person,
     by telephone or otherwise with a limited number of institutions,
     brokers or other persons who are stockholders of Washington
     Mutual and Great Western:  Steven B. Wolitzer, Philip R.
     Erlanger, Sanjiv Sobti, David J. Kim, Craig P. Sweeney and Daniel
     A. Trznadel.  In the normal course of its business Lehman
     Brothers regularly buys and sells Washington Mutual Securities
     and Great Western Securities for its own account and for the
     accounts of its customers, which transactions may result from
     time to time in Lehman Brothers and its associates having a net
     "long" or net "short" position in Washington Mutual Securities,
     Great Western Securities or option contracts with other
     derivatives in or relating to Washington Mutual Securities or
     Great Western Securities.  As of March 14, 1997, Lehman Brothers
     had positions in Washington Mutual Securities and Great Western
     Securities as principal as follows:  (i) net "short" 124 of
     Washington Mutual's common shares; and,  (ii) net "short" 3,327
     of Great Western's common shares.