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Don't forget about Washington's spy ring in Boston and New York. The success of pigeon holing the British into New York and keeping them out of New England was partially due to the success of spying in New York City.

Finally, the Bothans who sacrificed their lives to retrieve the plans for the Death Star.

Oops, bad example! Remember, the Death Star was fully operational and the assault was a trap. Those Bothans died bringing false information.

You also had the Mongols, arguably the most successful nation in history, particularly with conflict. They relied heavily on spies and would often observe for years before the Mongols struck. Ever hear of the Khwarazmian empire? One of the largest middle eastern empires? Worth reading about. The Mongol's success depended largely on spies. Success in this instance means "wiping the empire from the face of the earth", which is obviously subjective.

You also miss that the times have changed in last thousand years, and that its easier to fake information now, than back then.