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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-A

                FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                          WESTERN RESOURCES CAPITAL II
                   (Exact name of registrant, as specified in
                                Trust Agreements)

         Kansas                                         48-6343919
(State or incorporation                               (IRS Employer
     or organization)                              Identification Number)

c/o Western Resources, Inc.
818 Kansas Avenue
Topeka, Kansas                                              66612
(Address of principal executive offices)                 (Zip Code)


                             WESTERN RESOURCES, INC.
                  (Exact name of registrant as specified in its
                          certificate of incorporation)

        Kansas                                           48-0290150
(State of incorporation                                (IRS Employer
     or organization)                                Identification Number)

818 Kansas Avenue
Topeka, Kansas                                             66612
(Address of principal executive offices)                (Zip Code)

If this Form relates to the registration    If this Form relates to the
of a class of debt securities and is        registration of a class of debt
effective upon filing pursuant to           securities and is to become
General Instruction A(c)(1), please         effective simultaneously with the
check the following box.  (  )              effectiveness of a concurrent
                                            registration statement under the
                                            Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to
                                            General Instruction A(c)(2), please
                                            check the following box.  (  )


Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class                         Name of each exchange on which each
to be so registered                         class is to be registered

Western Resources Capital II                New York Stock Exchange
__% Cumulative Quarterly Income
Preferred Securities, Series B
  (and the Guarantee by Western
  Resources, Inc. with respect
  thereto)






                                       -2-



Item 1. Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered.

          The __% Cumulative Quarterly Income Preferred Securities, Series B
("Series B Preferred Securities"), of Western Resources Capital II ("Capital"),
a Delaware statutory business trust created under the laws of Delaware,
registered hereby represent undivided beneficial interests in the assets of
Capital and are guaranteed by Western Resources, Inc. ("Western Resources"), a
Kansas corporation, to the extent set forth in the form of Guarantee by Western
Resources and Wilmington Trust Company, as Guarantee Trustee (the "Guarantee"),
which is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(e) to the Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") of Western Resources and
Capital (File No. 333-5123) (which incorporated by reference the information in
the Registration Statement on Form S-3 of Western Resources and Capital
(File No. 33-63505)), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission"). The particular terms of the Preferred Securities and the
Guarantee are described in the prospectus supplement and the prospectus
(collectively, the "Prospectus") which forms a part of the Registration
Statement. The Prospectus and the form of Guarantee are incorporated by
reference herein as set forth in Item 2 below.  Such Prospectus as may
hereafter be amended and filed as part of an amendment to the Registration
Statement or otherwise pursuant to Rule 424(b) is hereby incorporated by
reference.

Item 2. Exhibits.

        Filed herewith:

        Prospectus Supplement pertaining to the offer and sale of the Preferred
        Securities, which forms a part of, and is incorporated by reference to,
        the Registration Statement.

        Certificate of Trust of Western Resources Capital II (Incorporated by
        reference to Exhibit 4(g) to the Registration Statement).

        Trust Agreement of Western Resources Capital II (Incorporated by
        reference to Exhibit 4(i) to the Registration Statement).

        Form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement (Incorporated by reference
        to Exhibit 4(j) to the Registration Statement).

        Form of Series B Preferred Security (Incorporated by reference to
        Exhibit 4(a) to the Registration Statement).

        Form of Guarantee between Western Resources, as Guarantor and Wilmington
        Trust Company, as Guarantee Trustee (Incorporated by reference to
        Exhibit 4(e) to the Registration Statement).

        Form of Indenture between Western Resources and Wilmington Trust
        Company, as Debenture Trustee (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(c)
        to the Registration Statement).

        Form of Supplemental Indenture between Western Resources and Wilmington
        Trust Company, as Debenture Trustee (Incorporated by reference to
        Exhibit 4(d) to the Registration Statement).

        Form of Series B Debenture (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(b) to
        the Registration Statement).







          Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, Western Resources, Inc. has duly caused this registration statement
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.

                                               WESTERN RESOURCES, INC.


Date: July 25, 1996                            By:/s/ RICHARD D. TERRILL
     ----------------------------                 --------------------------
                                                  Name:  Richard D. Terrill
                                                  Title: Secretary and 
                                                           Associate General
                                                           Counsel




         Pursuant to the  requirements of Section 12 of the Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934,  Western  Resources  Capital II has duly caused  this  registration
statement  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereto  duly
authorized.

                                                WESTERN RESOURCES CAPITAL II

                                                By:  Western Resources, Inc.,
                                                       as Depositor


Date: July 25, 1995                             By:/s/ RICHARD D. TERRILL
      ---------------------------                  -------------------------
                                                   Name:  Richard D. Terrill
                                                   Title: Secretary and
                                                            Associate
                                                            General Counsel