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:
  {_}  Preliminary Proxy Statement (Revocation of Consent Statement)
  {_}  Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by 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)


  Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

  {X}  No fee required.

  {_}  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
       (1)  Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
       (2)  Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
       (3)  Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
            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:  _______________
       (5)  Total fee paid.
  --------
  {_}  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

  {_}  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
       Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was
       paid previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration statement
       number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

       (1)  Amount Previously Paid: _________________________________________

       (2)  Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: ___________________

       (3)  Filing Party: ___________________________________________________

       (4)  Date Filed: _____________________________________________________





                                  [Press Release]

        [Great Western Logo]

                                                                NEWS

                                               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                      APRIL 21, 1997

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

        GREAT WESTERN ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY VOTE TABULATION

             CHATSWORTH, Calif. -- Great Western Financial
        Corporation (NYSE: GWF) today announced that the
        independent inspector of elections, CT Corporation Systems,
        has completed a preliminary tabulation regarding certain of
        H. F. Ahmanson & Company's consent solicitations.  The
        preliminary tally indicates that Ahmanson has received
        sufficient unrevoked consents on three of its five
        proposals.  The three proposals are By-law amendments
        concerning the timing of Great Western's Annual Meeting of
        Stockholders, adjournment of the Annual Meeting, and the
        further amendment of such By-law amendments.  The
        independent inspectors have not reported any preliminary
        count on the other two proposals for which Ahmanson has
        been soliciting consents.

             The unrevoked consents reported in the preliminary
        count represent approximately 53% of Great Western's
        outstanding shares.  Great Western emphasized that the
        count is preliminary in nature and, in accordance with the
        independent inspector's standard procedures, the validity
        of consents received is subject to review and challenge by
        both Great Western and Ahmanson.  A final tabulation will
        be prepared and certified after the review and challenge
        process has been completed.

             Great Western stated, "The consent solicitation
        covered only certain very specific resolutions and By-law
        amendments.  It was not a vote on the relative merits of
        the Great Western/Washington Mutual merger and Ahmanson's
        unsolicited proposal.  Nor is it an indication of whether
        Great Western stockholders would or would not support the
        election of three Ahmanson designees to Great Western's
        Board at the 1997 Annual Meeting.  Any attempt to
        characterize the consent solicitation otherwise would be
        misleading and wrong.

             "Great Western's Annual Meeting is scheduled for June
        13.  That date was selected by the Board as the earliest
        date that would permit Great Western to comply with the
        federal proxy rules and ensure that all Great Western
        stockholders have a sufficient opportunity to receive and
        review the competing proxy solicitation materials and cast
        an informed vote.

             "Great Western remains strongly committed to its
        strategic merger with Washington Mutual, and is confident
        that its stockholders recognize that a combination with
        Washington Mutual will provide them with a superior value
        opportunity."

             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 the persons named below may be deemed to be
        participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection
        with the merger of Great Western and 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").  Participants in this solicitation may
        include the directors of Great Western (J. F. Montgomery,
        J. F. Maher, Dr. D. Alexander, H. F. Christie, S. E. Frank,
        J. V. Giovenco, F. A. Gryp, E. Hernandez, Jr., C. D.
        Miller, Dr. A. E. Siegel and W. B. Wood, Jr.); the
        following executive officers of Great Western:  J. L.
        Erikson, C. F. Geuther, M. M. Pappas, A. W. Schenck III, R.
        W. Sims and J. M. Studenmund; and the following other
        members of management of Great Western:  S. F. Adams, B. F.
        Antenberg, B. R. Barkley, I. D. Campbell, C. Coleman, A. D.
        Meadows and J. A. Trotter (collectively, the "Great Western
        Participants").  Messrs. Montgomery and Maher beneficially
        own 680,488 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 related persons 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:  J. Wender, J.
        Mahoney, A. Gordon, T. Owens and A. 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:  H. Lurie, L. S.
        Wolfe, P. Wetzel, F. V. McMahon, J. Esposito, C. Del-Moral
        Niles and K. 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 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 April 14, 1997, Goldman Sachs had positions in Great
        Western Securities and Washington Mutual Securities as
        principal as follows:  (i) net "long" 7,473 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 April 14,
        1997, Merrill Lynch had positions in Great Western
        Securities and Washington Mutual Securities as principal as
        follows:  (i) net "long" 7,126 of Great Western's common
        shares; (ii) net "long 1,600 shares of Great Western's
        8.30% preferred stock; and (iii) net "long" 1,526 of
        Washington Mutual's common shares.

                  Other participants include Washington Mutual and
        may include the directors of Washington Mutual (D. P.
        Beighle, D. Bonderman, H. M. Bridge, J. T. Crandall, R. H.
        Eigsti, J. W. Ellis, D. J. Evans, A. V. Farrell, W. P.
        Gerberding, K. K. Killinger, S. B. McKinney, M. K. Murphy,
        L. H. Pepper, W. G. Reed, Jr. and J. H. Stever); the
        following executive officers of Washington Mutual: C. S.
        Davis, S. P. Freimuth, L. D. Lannoye, W. A. Longbrake, D.
        W. Oppenheimer, C. E. Tall and S. L. Wilson; and the
        following other members of management of Washington Mutual: 
        K. Christensen, J. DeGrande, W. Ehrlich, J. B. Fitzgerald,
        M. Kittner and D. G. Wisdorf (collectively, the "Washington
        Mutual Participants").  Messrs. Bonderman, Crandall and
        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
        related persons 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:  S. B. Wolitzer, P.
        R. Erlanger, S. Sobti, D. J. Kim, C. P. Sweeney and D. 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 April 14, 1997, Lehman Brothers had positions in
        Washington Mutual Securities and Great Western Securities
        as principal as follows:  (i) net "short" 224 of Washington
        Mutual's common shares; (ii) net "long" 27,434 shares of
        Washington Mutual's 9.12% preferred stock; (iii) net "long"
        124,964 shares of Washington Mutual's 7.60% preferred
        stock; (iv) net "short" 2,691 of Great Western's common
        shares; and (v) net "long" 160,000 shares of Great
        Western's 8.30% preferred stock


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