SCHEDULE 14A
                                 (Rule 14a-101)
                     INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

           Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
                      Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.  )

Filed by the Registrant                              [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant           [ ]

Check the appropriate box:
[ ]    Preliminary proxy statement.
[ ]    Confidential, for use of the commission only (as permitted by Rule
       14a-6(e)(2)).
[ ]    Definitive proxy statement.
[ ]    Definitive additional materials.
[X]    Soliciting material under Rule 14a-12.

                              Wachovia Corporation
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                                       N/A
    (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 transaction:
     (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:

                                             Date: May 14, 2001

This filing contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but
are not limited to, (i) statements about the benefits of the merger between
Wachovia Corporation and First Union Corporation, including future financial and
operating results, cost savings, enhanced revenues, and accretion to reported
earnings that may be realized from the merger; (ii) statements with respect to
Wachovia's and First Union's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and
other statements that are not historical facts; and (iii) other statements
identified by words such as "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates",
"intends", "plans", "targets", "projects" and similar expressions. These
statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Wachovia's and
First Union's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties.
Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking
statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ
materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the
forward-looking statements: (1) the risk that the businesses of First Union and
Wachovia will not be integrated successfully or such integration may be more
difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; (2) expected revenue
synergies and cost savings from the merger may not be fully realized or realized
within the expected time frame; (3) revenues following the merger may be lower
than expected; (4) deposit attrition, operating costs, customer loss and
business disruption following the merger, including, without limitation,
difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, may be greater than
expected; (5) the ability to obtain governmental approvals of the merger on the
proposed terms and schedule; (6) the failure of Wachovia's and First Union's
stockholders to approve the merger; (7) competitive pressures among depository
and other financial institutions may increase significantly and have an effect
on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; (8) the strength
of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies
in which the combined company will conduct operations may be different than
expected resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality or
a reduced demand for credit, including the resultant effect on the combined
company's loan portfolio and allowance for loan losses; (9) changes in the U.S.
and foreign legal and regulatory framework; and (10) adverse conditions in the
stock market, the public debt market and other capital markets (including
changes in interest rate conditions) and the impact of such conditions on the
combined company's capital markets and asset management activities. Additional
factors that could cause Wachovia's and First Union's results to differ
materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found
in Wachovia's and First Union's reports (such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K,
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and available at the SEC's Internet site
(http://www.sec.gov). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements
concerning the proposed transaction or other matters attributable to Wachovia or
First Union or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in
their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Wachovia and First Union do
not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect
circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements
are made.

The proposed transaction will be submitted to Wachovia's and First Union's
stockholders for their consideration, and on April 26, 2001 First Union filed a
registration statement on Form S-4 containing a preliminary joint proxy
statement/prospectus and other relevant documents concerning the proposed
transaction with the SEC. Stockholders are urged to read the registration
statement and the joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as the definitive
joint proxy statement/prospectus when it becomes available, and any other
relevant documents filed with the SEC, and any amendments or supplements to
those documents, because they will contain important information. You will be
able to obtain a free copy of the joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as
other filings containing information about Wachovia and First Union, at the
SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the joint proxy
statement/prospectus and the SEC filings that will be incorporated by reference
in the joint proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, without charge, by
directing a request to Wachovia, Investor Relations, 100 North Main Street,
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27150 (888-492-6397), or to First Union, Investor
Relations, One First Union Center, Charlotte, North Carolina 28288-0206
(704-374-6782).

Wachovia and First Union, and their respective directors and executive officers
may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the
stockholders of Wachovia and First Union in connection with the merger.
Information about the directors and executive officers of Wachovia and their
ownership of Wachovia common stock is set forth in the proxy statement, dated
March 19, 2001, for Wachovia's 2001 annual meeting of stockholders, as filed
with the SEC on a Schedule 14A. Information about the directors and executive
officers of First Union and their ownership of First Union common stock is set
forth in the proxy statement, dated March 13, 2001, for First Union's 2001
annual meeting of stockholders, as filed with the SEC on a Schedule 14A.
Additional information

regarding the interests of those participants may be obtained by reading the
definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction
when it becomes available.

THE FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT WAS RELEASED MAY 14, 2001



For Additional Information:
Ed L. Hutchins, 336-732-4200
ed.hutchins@wachovia.com
May 14, 2001

For Release: Immediately

              Wachovia Comments on SunTrust's Unsolicited Proposal

     WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., May 14, 2001 - Wachovia Corporation (NYSE: WB) today
confirmed that it has received an unsolicited merger proposal from SunTrust
Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI).
     On April 16, 2001, Wachovia announced a merger of equals with First Union
Corporation (NYSE: FTU), which is proceeding on schedule. Wachovia's board of
directors unanimously approved that merger after an extensive review of all of
Wachovia's strategic options.
     Wachovia said that its board of directors will meet to review SunTrust's
proposal in the near future. Wachovia said that SunTrust's proposal requires no
immediate action by Wachovia's shareholders.
         Wachovia Corporation, with dual headquarters in Atlanta and
Winston-Salem, N.C., is a leading financial holding company serving regional,
national and international markets. As of March 31, 2001, Wachovia had assets of
$75.6 billion. Member companies offer consumer and commercial banking, bank
card, asset and wealth management, capital markets and investment banking,
community development finance, brokerage and insurance services. Wachovia Bank,
N.A., the principal subsidiary, has nearly 650 offices and 1,350 ATMs primarily
in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation,
(i) statements about the benefits of the merger between First Union Corporation
and Wachovia Corporation, including future financial and operating results, cost
savings, enhanced revenues, and accretion to reported earnings that may be
realized from the merger; (ii) statements with respect to First Union's and
Wachovia's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements
that are not historical facts; and (iii) other statements identified by words
such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans,"
"targets" and similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current
beliefs and expectations of First Union's and Wachovia's management and are
subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from
those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ
materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such
forward-looking statements: (1) the risk that the businesses of First Union and
Wachovia will not be integrated successfully or such integration may be more
difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; (2) expected revenue
synergies and cost savings from the merger may not be fully realized or realized
within the expected time frame; (3) revenues following the merger may be lower
than expected; (4) deposit attrition, operating costs, customer loss and
business disruption following the merger, including, without limitation,
difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, may be greater than
expected; (5) the ability to obtain governmental approvals of the merger on the
proposed terms and schedule; (6) the failure of First Union's and Wachovia's
stockholders to approve the merger; (7) competitive pressures among depository
and other financial institutions may increase significantly and have an effect
on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; (8) the strength
of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies
in which the combined company will conduct operations may be different than
expected resulting in, among other things, a deterioration in credit quality or
a reduced demand for credit, including the resultant effect on the combined
company's loan portfolio and allowance for loan losses; (9) changes in the U.S.
and foreign legal and regulatory framework; and (10) adverse conditions in the
stock market, the



public debt market and other capital markets (including changes in interest rate
conditions) and the impact of such conditions on the combined company's capital
markets and asset management activities. Additional factors that could cause
First Union's and Wachovia's results to differ materially from those described
in the forward-looking statements can be found in First Union's and Wachovia's
Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports
on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All subsequent
written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the proposed transaction
or other matters and attributable to First Union or Wachovia or any person
acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the
cautionary statements referenced above. First Union and Wachovia do not
undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect
circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements
are made.

Additional Information:
You are urged to read the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding
the proposed transaction when it becomes available, because it will contain
important information. You may obtain a free copy of the preliminary joint proxy
statement/prospectus filed as part of First Union's registration statement on
Form S-4, and other filings containing information about First Union and
Wachovia, including the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus when it
becomes available, without charge, at the SEC's internet site
(http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and the SEC
filings that will be incorporated by reference in the joint proxy
statement/prospectus can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a
request to First Union Corporation, Investor Relations, One First Union Center,
301 South College Street, Charlotte, NC 28288-0206, 704-374-6782, or to Wachovia
Corporation, Investor Relations, 100 North Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27150,
888-492-6397. Information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation
and a description of their direct and indirect interest, by security holdings or
otherwise, is contained in the materials filed with the SEC by each of First
Union and Wachovia on April 16, 2001.