Why was there a need for USSR to be included in the Munich Conference?

Question: Why was there a need for USSR to be included in the Munich Conference!?

and how did this affect USSR's choice for their future ally!?
at the same time, why wasn't Czechoslovakia invited to join in the conference when it was their land ( Sudentenland ) that they would be deciding on!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

It would have been a good idea to invite the Soviet Union!. The way the treaties in effect at the time were worded, the Soviet Union was obligated to help Czechoslovakia if France did as well!. In the time leading up to Munich, the USSR had been trying to get an agreement where England, France and the USSR would jointly agree to help any country threatened by Hitler's Germany!. The problem was Britain and France were quite hostile to the Soviet Union, and not inviting them to Munich was an expression of this hostility!.

As far as how it affected the USSR's choice of a future ally, it showed that Britain and France were unwilling to stand up to Hitler, and it showed their hostility to the Soviet Union!. Munich, combined with the Anglo-French rejection of yet another alliance offer in March of 39 (after Hitler violated the agreement by taking over the rest of Czechoslovakia), convinced Stalin that he needed to look at other options!. His goal was to keep the Soviet Union from going to war with Germany without allies, and in the spring of 39 he decided to stop trying to get allies for the coming war with Germany, and instead try to postpone it for as long as possible by dealing with the Germans directly!.

As far as not inviting Czechoslovakia, it was quite shameful!. My guess is that having decided to sell the Czech's out, they didn't want to have to look them in the eyes while they did it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com